Charon is a figure from Greek mythology where he is the boatman who ferries the souls of the dead across the waters of Hades to the judgement which will determine their final resting place. The Greeks believed the dead needed a coin to pay Charon for his service and so one was placed in the mouth of the deceased.
More about: CharonDefinition
Timeline
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c. 500 BCEFirst known appearance of Charon on Greek pottery.