The Arval Dinner

The arval dinner appears to be an ancient custom. This was properly a solemn festival on the day of interment and when the corpse was exposed to view. The relatives and friends were invited to attend, so that having inspected the body they might vouch that the death was a natural one, and thus excúlpate the heir and all others entitled to the deceased's possessions from sations of' haVing used violence.