The preparation of the body of one who has passed on, is an extremely important aspect in keeping the purity of the soul and assuring a happy afterlife.
The job of cleaning and wrapping the body of the deceased went to a mid-wife or other female. The rich would be wrapped in silk or other fine material, while the poor had nothing but the sheets from the death bed.
Mourners would add flowers such as rosemary to the grave of children and women to signify innocence. The midwife or women would add spices to a mans grave for virtue.