Charon, a marble sculpture of a ferryman from the underworld in Greek mythology

Charon, a marble sculpture of a ferryman from the underworld in Greek mythology

Charon is a ferryman in Greek mythology responsible for transporting the souls of the deceased from Earth to the underworld. He was described as a pale faced old man, dressed in a black robe, standing on the edge of the Styx River, ready to cross the river with the deceased. According to ancient Greek beliefs, every deceased person was required to pay a token to Charon as a ferry fare. In some legends, this token is a coin, while in other legends, it may be a magical copper coin placed in the mouth of the deceased. If the deceased did not pay the ferry fare, they would be trapped on Earth and unable to enter the underworld.