The word “bier” has been used in literature in a remarkably versatile manner, functioning both as a literal object in funeral rites and as a poignant metaphor for mortality and the human condition. In historical and mythic narratives—from Thucydides’ account of missing bodies on a decked bier [1] to Homer’s portrayal of fallen warriors borne on a lofty bier [2]—the term underscores the solemnity of death and ritual [3]. Poets such as Robert Burns and Victor Hugo invoke the bier to symbolize the transient boundary between life and death, as seen in references to mourning and the ephemeral nature of human existence [4, 5]. Moreover, its use in diverse cultural and proverbial contexts—spanning from foreign proverbs with playful wordplay [6, 7, 8] to varied ceremonial descriptions in works like Shakespeare’s tragedies [9]—highlights not only its literal utility but also its potent metaphorical force across genres and eras.