In recent years, textiles have become an increasingly relevant category for archaeological burial analysis. However, their ideological and socio-religious dimensions have not yet been satisfactorily explored. The present study provides a cross-regional ethnographic overview of the different types and uses of textiles and skins in the various phases of funeral rites. It is based on data from about 50 societies from all over the world, mainly from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, selected from the eHRAF World Cultures database. The study confirms that in the case of a regular burial, it can almost always be assumed that the deceased was clothed. It also shows that the mourning dress worn by the bereaved is not only often the opposite of everyday dress, but is also subject to conventions that reflect the economic status and kinship of the bereaved. Above all, it suggests that there is a close link between the specific use of textiles on the body of the deceased and the eschatological concepts of a society. The study advocates the exploration of ethnographic data for a better overall understanding of the significance of textiles in funerals.