Part 4/9:

The concept of a sin eater is as fascinating as it is dark. Historical accounts trace the origins of sin eating to at least the late 17th century, where it was described as a ritual where a loaf of bread and a bowl of ale was placed the body of a deceased person. The sin eater was tasked with consuming this meal, symbolically absorbing the unatoned sins of the deceased. This practice, primarily found in areas on the border of England and Wales, painted the sin eater as a desperate soul, often marginalized and shunned in society.