In which region did cremation first become widely accepted as a practice?

Cremation first became widely accepted as a practice in ancient Greece, where it became prominent among certain social classes and during specific historical periods. Greeks viewed cremation as a way to honor the deceased and ensure that the body would be returned to the elements, reflecting their beliefs about the afterlife. The practice was tied to various religious rites and influenced by philosophical thought, such as the ideas espoused by thinkers like Heraclitus and Plato, who perceived the soul as immortal and distinguished the body as a temporary vessel.

In contrast, while regions like Rome and India also have historical links to cremation (with Rome adopting burial and cremation depending on time and context, and India embracing it with significant cultural and religious implications), it was Greece where the practice first gained widespread acceptance and became entrenched within the societal and religious frameworks of the time. Egypt, on the other hand, predominantly practiced elaborate burial rites and mummification, emphasizing preservation of the body for the afterlife, making it an unaligned culture with cremation practices.