in Greek mythology, the ferryman who transported the souls of the dead across the river to the underworld.
From Greek 'Charon,' a name of possibly obscure origin, possibly related to 'chara' (joy). The mythology developed in ancient Greece and persisted through Roman times.
The idea of paying Charon a coin ('Charon's toll') led Greeks and Romans to place coins in dead people's mouths—a belief system that influenced burial practices for centuries.
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