In Greece, the rose was a symbol of the transience of life. Their beauty is short-lived, the buds fade quickly. It is not surprising that these flowers have come to be associated with death. The Greeks wore roses on their chests and in their hair as a sign of mourning. Their images adorn ancient tombstones and funerary urns. In Rome, rich people bequeathed huge sums of money to decorate their graves with bouquets of roses. And the Romans had the symbolism of color for the first time. White flowers were placed on the graves of young people, and carmine-red flowers were placed on the graves of the elderly.