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For other uses, see Burial (disambiguation).
"Buried" redirects here. For the Prison Break episode, see Buried (Prison Break episode). " Buried " is the twenty-ninth episode of the American Television series Prison Break and is the seventh episode of its second season For the British TV series, see Buried (TV series). Buried is a British television drama series produced by World Productions for Channel 4 and originally screened in 2003
Underwater funeral in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea from an edition with drawings by Alphonse de Neuville and Edouard Riou.
Underwater funeral in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea from an edition with drawings by Alphonse de Neuville and Edouard Riou. A funeral is a Ceremony marking a person's Death. Funerary customs comprise the complex of Beliefs and practices used by a Culture to remember For the 1954 film starring Kirk Douglas see 20000 Leagues Under the Sea. Alphonse-Marie-Adolphe de Neuville ( May 31, 1835 – May 18, 1885) was a French Academic painter who studied Édouard Riou ( 2 December 1833 Saint-Servan, Ille-et-Vilaine – 27 January 1900 Paris) was a French

Burial, also called interment and inhumation, is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.

Objects are sometimes buried in order to hide them against removal or tampering. For cables and pipelines, burial provides protection. A cable is one or more Wires or Optical fibers bound together typically in a common protective jacket or sheath Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe.

The remainder of this article discusses human burial. Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus

Contents

History

Further information: Paleolithic burial, Megalithic tomb, Grave field, Tumulus, Chariot burial, and Ship burial

Intentional burial, particularly with grave goods may be one of the earliest detectable forms of religious practice since, as Philip Lieberman suggests, it may signify a "concern for the dead that transcends daily life. See also Prehistoric religion The origin and early Development of religion falls into the Paleolithic. A grave field is a prehistoric Cemetery, typically of Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe. A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a Mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves Chariot burials are Tombs in which the deceased was buried together with his Chariot, usually including his (more rarely her Horses and other possessions A ship burial or boat grave is a Burial in which a Ship or Boat is used either as a container for the dead and the grave goods or as a part Grave goods, in Archaeology and Anthropology, are the items buried along with the body Philip Lieberman is a linguist at Brown University. Originally trained in Phonetics, he wrote a dissertation on Intonation. "[1] Though disputed, evidence suggests that the Neanderthals were the first hominids to intentionally bury the dead, doing so in shallow graves along with stone tools and animal bones. The Neanderthal (neɪˈændərtɑːl also with /niː-/ and /-θɔːl/ or Neandertal, is an extinct member of the Homo genus that is known from Exemplary sites include Shanidar in Iraq, Kebara Cave in Israel and Krapina in Croatia. The cave site of Shanidar is located in the Zagros Mountains of Kurdistan in Iraq. Kebara Cave ( Hebrew: מערת כבארה Me'arat Kebbara, Arabic: مغارة الكبارة Mugharat al-Kabara) is an Israeli See also List of fossil sites (with link directory List of hominina (hominid fossils (with images Some scholars, however argue that these bodies may have been disposed of for secular reasons. Secularity ( adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from Religion. [2]

The earliest undisputed human burial dates back 130,000 years. Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus Human skeletal remains stained with red ochre were discovered in the Skhul cave at Qafzeh, Israel. Red ochre and yellow ochre (pronounced /'əʊkə/ from the Greek ὄχρος yellow are Pigments made from naturally tinted Clay. Qafzeh or Kafzeh is a paleoanthropological site at Mount Kafzeh south of Nazareth, Israel. A variety of grave goods were present at the site, including the mandible of a wild boar in the arms of one of the skeletons. [3]

Prehistoric cemeteries are referred to by the more neutral term grave field. A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. A grave field is a prehistoric Cemetery, typically of Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe. They are one of the chief sources of information on prehistoric cultures, and numerous archaeological cultures are defined by their burial customs, such as the Urnfield culture of the European Bronze Age. In addition to its usual meaning in Social science, in Archaeology, the term culture is also used in reference to several related concepts unique to The Urnfield culture (c 1300 BC - 750 BC) was a late Bronze Age culture of central Europe. The Bronze Age in Europe succeeds the Neolithic in the late 3rd millennium BC (late Beaker culture) and spans the entire

Reasons for human burial

See also: Health risks from dead bodies

After death, a corpse will start to decay and emit unpleasant odors due to gases released by bacterial decomposition. After Disasters with extensive loss of life due to trauma &mdashearthquakes storms human conflict etc Decomposition (or spoilage) refers to the break down of tissue of a formerly living Organism into simpler forms of matter Burial prevents the living from having to see and smell the decomposing corpse, but it is not necessarily a public health requirement. Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts and informed choices of society organisations Contrary to conventional wisdom, the WHO advises that only corpses carrying an infectious disease strictly require burial. An infectious disease is a clinically evident Disease resulting from the presence of Pathogenic microbial agents including Pathogenic viruses Pathogenic [4][5]

Human burial practices are the manifestation of the human desire to demonstrate "respect for the dead". Among the reasons for this are:

Burial methods

In many cultures, human corpses were usually buried in soil. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic A cadaver or corpse is a dead Body. "Cadaver" is normally used as a more formal term for a body being used in medical training or research The act of burying corpses is thought to have begun around 200,000 years ago during the Paleolithic period by homo sapiens, before spreading out from Africa. The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus As a result, burial grounds are found throughout the world. Mounds of earth, temples, and underground caverns were used to store the dead bodies of ancestors. A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a Mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites An ancestor is a Parent or ( recursively) the parent of an ancestor (i In modern times, the custom of burying dead people below ground with a stone marker to mark the place is used in almost every modern culture, although other means such as cremation are becoming more popular in the west (cremation is the norm in India and mandatory in Japan). Social norms have been defined as "the rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values beliefs attitudes and behaviors A headstone, tombstone or gravestone is a marker normally carved from stone, placed over or next to the site of a Burial Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic Cremation is the act of reducing a Corpse by burning, generally in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire

Some burial practices are heavily ritualized; others are simply practical. A ritual is a set of actions often thought to have Symbolic value the performance of which is usually prescribed by a Religion or by the Traditions

Natural burial

A growing trend in modern burial is the concept of natural burial. A natural burial ground, also known as a green burial ground or an eco-cemetery is a Cemetery where the body is returned to the earth to Decompose and recycle Popularised in the United Kingdom in the late 1990s, natural burial is being adopted in the United States as a method for protecting and restoring the natural environment.

With a natural burial, the body is returned to nature in a biodegradable coffin or shroud. Biodegradation is the process by which organic substances are broken down by the enzymes produced by living organisms A coffin (also known as a casket in North American English) is a funerary Box used in the display and containment of deceased remains – either for Shroud usually refers to an item such as a cloth that covers or protects some other object Native vegetation (often a memorial tree) is planted over or near the grave in place of a conventional cemetery monument. The resulting green space establishes a living memorial and forms a protected wildlife preserve.

The practice of natural burial dates back to the late nineteenth century, when Sir Francis Seymour Hayden proposed "earth to earth burial," in a pamphlet of the same name, as a less gruesome alternative to either cremation or the slow putrefaction of encased corpses. A natural burial ground, also known as a green burial ground or an eco-cemetery is a Cemetery where the body is returned to the earth to Decompose and recycle The earth to earth burial movement was part of the short-lived cremation controversy of the 1870s.

Muslims also practice natural burial, with the deceased's body covered in shroud and with his\her face facing Mecca. Mecca ˈmɛkə also spelled Makkah ˈmækə (in full Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Arabic mækːæ(t ælmʊkarˑamæ مكّة المكرمة, literally Honored

Natural burial grounds are also known as woodland cemeteries, eco-cemeteries, memorial nature preserves, or green burial grounds.

Prevention of decay

A naturally mummified body in the British Museum.
A naturally mummified body in the British Museum. A mummy is a Corpse whose Skin and Flesh have been preserved by either intentional or Incidental exposure to Chemicals extreme The British Museum is a Museum of human history and culture in London.

Embalming is the practice of preserving a body against decay, and is used in many cultures. Embalming, in most modern Cultures is the Art and Science of temporarily preserving human remains to forestall Decomposition Mummification is a more extensive method of embalming, further delaying the decay process. A mummy is a Corpse whose Skin and Flesh have been preserved by either intentional or Incidental exposure to Chemicals extreme

Bodies are often buried wrapped in a shroud or placed in a coffin (also called a casket). Shroud usually refers to an item such as a cloth that covers or protects some other object A coffin (also known as a casket in North American English) is a funerary Box used in the display and containment of deceased remains – either for A larger container may be used, such as a ship. A ship burial or boat grave is a Burial in which a Ship or Boat is used either as a container for the dead and the grave goods or as a part Coffins are usually covered by a burial liner or a burial vault, which prevents the coffin from collapsing under the weight of the earth or floating away during a flood. A Burial Liner, or Grave Liner is an enclosure that is placed over a Coffin containing human remains which is then buried in the ground For an underground tomb see Burial vault (tomb. A burial vault is a sturdy box designed to protect the Coffin inside of it

These containers slow the decomposition process by (partially) physically blocking decomposing bacteria and other organisms from accessing the corpse. The Bacteria ( singular: bacterium) are a large group of unicellular Microorganisms Typically a few Micrometres in length bacteria have An additional benefit of using containers to hold the body is that if the soil covering the corpse is washed away by a flood or some other natural process, the corpse will still not be exposed to open air. A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land a deluge

In some cultures however the goal is not to preserve the body but to allow it to decompose—or return to the Earth — naturally. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 In Orthodox Judaism embalming is not permitted, and the coffins are constructed so that the body will be returned to the Earth as soon as possible. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized Such coffins are made of wood, and have no metal parts at all. Wooden pegs are used in the place of nails.

Inclusion of clothing and personal effects

The body may be dressed in fancy and/or ceremonial clothes. Personal objects, such as a favorite piece of jewellery or photograph, of the deceased may be included with the body. This practice, also known as the inclusion of grave goods, serves several purposes:

Body positioning

Burials may be placed in a number of different positions. Christian burials are made extended, i. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings e. , lying flat with arms and legs straight, or with the arms folded upon the chest, and with the eyes and mouth closed. Eyes are organs that detect Light, and send signals along the Optic nerve to the visual areas of the brain The mouth, buccal cavity, or oral cavity is the first portion of the Alimentary canal that receives food and begins digestion by mechanically breaking up Extended burials may be supine (lying on the back) or prone (lying on the front). Other ritual practices place the body in a flexed position with the legs bent or crouched with the legs folded up to the chest. A ritual is a set of actions often thought to have Symbolic value the performance of which is usually prescribed by a Religion or by the Traditions Warriors in some ancient societies were buried in an upright position. In Islam, the head is pointed toward and the face is turned toward Mecca, the holiest city in Islam. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Mecca ˈmɛkə also spelled Makkah ˈmækə (in full Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Arabic mækːæ(t ælmʊkarˑamæ مكّة المكرمة, literally Honored For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Many cultures treat placement of dead people in an appropriate position to be a sign of respect even when burial is impossible.

In nonstandard burial practices, such as mass burial, the body may be positioned arbitrarily. A mass grave is a grave containing multiple usually unidentified human corpses This can be a sign of disrespect to the deceased, or at least nonchalance on the part of the inhumer, or due to considerations of time and space.

Orientation

Historically, Christian burials were made supine east-west, with the head at the western end of the grave. This mirrors the layout of Christian churches, and for much the same reason; to view the coming of Christ on Judgement day (Eschaton). In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Day of the Lord is the judgment by God of every human who ever lived Summary of Christian eschatological differencesIn Christian theology, Christian eschatology is the study of its religious Beliefs concerning all Future and In many Christian traditions, ordained clergy are traditionally buried in the opposite orientation, and their coffins carried likewise, so that at the General Resurrection they may rise facing, and ready to minister to, their people.

Inverted burial

For humans, maintaining an upside down position, with the head vertically below the feet, is highly uncomfortable for any extended period of time, and consequently burial in that attitude (as opposed to attitudes of rest or watchfulness, as above) is highly unusual and generally symbolic. Occasionally suicides were buried upside down, as a post mortem punishment and (as with burial at cross-roads) to inhibit the activities of the resulting undead. Undead is a collective name for fictional beings that are deceased yet behave as if alive

In Gulliver's Travels, the Lilliputians buried their dead upside down:

They bury their dead with their heads directly downward, because they hold an opinion, that in eleven thousand moons they are all to rise again; in which period the earth (which they conceive to be flat) will turn upside down, and by this means they shall, at their resurrection, be found ready standing on their feet. Gulliver's Travels (1726 amended 1735 officially Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World in Four Parts Lilliput and Blefuscu are two fictional island nations that appear in the 1726 novel Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan The learned among them confess the absurdity of this doctrine; but the practice still continues, in compliance to the vulgar.

—Jonathan Swift, Jonathan Swift

Swift's notion of inverted burial might seem the highest flight of fancy, but it appears that among English millenarians the idea that the world would be "turned upside down" at the Apocalypse enjoyed some currency, and there is at least one attested case of a person being buried upside down by instruction; a Major Peter Labelliere of Dorking (d. Millenarianism (sometimes spelled millenarism or millennarism) is the belief by a religious social or political group or movement in a coming major transformation Dorking is an historic Market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England. June 4, 1800) lies thus upon the summit of Box Hill. Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday. Box Hill is a well known beauty spot in the North Downs of Surrey, England, close to the southern outskirts of London, overlooking Dorking to [6] Similar stories have attached themselves to other noted eccentrics, particularly in southern England, but not always with a foundation in truth. [7]

Burial among African-American slaves

In the African-American slave community, slaves quickly familiarized themselves with funeral procedures and the location of gravesites of family and friends. Slavery in the United States began soon after English colonists first settled Virginia in 1607 and lasted until the passage of the Thirteenth Specific slaves were assigned to prepare dead bodies, build coffins, dig graves, and construct headstones. Slave funerals were typically at night when the workday was over, with the master present to view all the ceremonial procedures. Slaves from the nearby plantations were regularly in attendance.

At death, a slave’s body was wrapped in cloth. The hands were placed across the chest, and a metal plate was placed on top of their hands. The reasoning for the plate was to hinder their return home by suppressing any spirits in the coffin. Often, personal property was buried with slaves to appease spirits. The coffins were nailed shut once the body was inside, and carried by hand or wagon, depending on the property designated for slave burial site. Slaves were buried east to west, with the head facing east and their feet to the west. This positioning represented the ability to rise without having to turn around at the call of Gabriel’s trumpet. Gabriel ( Latin: Gabrielus; Greek:, Gabriēl; Arabic: جبريل Jibrīl or جبرائيل Gabriel’s trumpet would be blown in the eastern sunrise. East-west positioning also was the direction of home, Africa.

Burial in the Bahá'í Faith

Bahá'í burial law prescribes both the location of burial and burial practices and precludes cremation of the dead. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind It is forbidden to carry the body for more than one hour's journey from the place of death. Before interment the body should be wrapped in a shroud of silk or cotton, and a ring should be placed on its finger bearing the inscription "I came forth from God, and return unto Him, detached from all save Him, holding fast to His Name, the Merciful, the Compassionate". The coffin should be of crystal, stone or hard fine wood. Also, before interment, a specific Prayer for the Dead[8] is ordained. The body should be placed with the feet facing the Qiblih. In the Bahá'í Faith the Qiblih ( is the location that Bahá'ís should face when saying their daily obligatory prayers, and is fixed at the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh The formal prayer and the ring are meant to be used for those who have reached fifteen years of age. [9]

Locations

Where to bury

Apart from sanitary and other practical considerations, the site of burial can be determined by religious and socio-cultural considerations.

Thus in some traditions, especially with an animistic logic, the remains of the dead are "banished" for fear their spirits would harm the living if too close; others keep remains close to help surviving generations.

Religious rules may prescribe a specific zone, e. g. some Christian traditions hold that Christians must be buried in "consecrated ground," usually a cemetery; an earlier practice, burial in or very near the church (hence the word churchyard), was generally abandoned with individual exceptions as a high posthumous honour; also many existing funeral monuments and crypts remain in use. Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried.

Royalty and high nobility often have one or more "traditional" sites of burial, generally monumental, often in a palatial chapel or cathedral; see examples on Heraldica.org.

Marking the location of the burial

Headstones in the Japanese Cemetery in Broome, Western Australia
Headstones in the Japanese Cemetery in Broome, Western Australia

Most modern cultures mark the location of the body with a headstone. For other places and usages see Broome. Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, 2200 km north A headstone, tombstone or gravestone is a marker normally carved from stone, placed over or next to the site of a Burial This serves two purposes. First, the grave will not accidentally be exhumed. A grave is a place where a dead body (usually a human although sometimes an animal is buried Second, headstones often contain information or tributes to deceased. This is a form of remembrance for loved ones; it can also be viewed as a form of immortality, especially in cases of famous people's graves. Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an Infinite length of Time. Such monumental inscriptions may subsequently be useful to genealogists and family historians. See also Chronogram Epitaph Behistun Inscription

In many cultures graves will be grouped, so the monuments make up a necropolis, a "city of the dead" parallelling the community of the living. A necropolis (plural necropoleis or necropoles) is a large Cemetery or burial place (from Greek nekropolis "city of the dead"

Unmarked grave

In many cultures graves are marked with durable markers, or monuments, intended to help remind people of the buried person. Burial, also called interment and inhumation, is the act of placing a person or object into the ground A monument is a structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of past An unmarked grave is a grave with no such memorial marker. The phrase Unmarked grave has Metaphorical meaning in the context of cultures that mark burial sites. A grave is a place where a dead body (usually a human although sometimes an animal is buried

The corpse of Pope Formosus was actually disinterred, placed on trial (see Cadaver Synod), found guilty, and ultimately thrown into the River Tiber. Formosus (c 816 in Ostia &ndash896 was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 891 to 896 The Cadaver Synod (also called the Cadaver Trial or in Latin, the Synodus Horrenda) is the name commonly given to the posthumous ecclesiastical The Tiber ( Latin Tiberis, Italian Tevere) is the third-longest River in Italy, rising in the Apennine mountains

Anonymous burial

Another sort of unmarked grave is a burial site with an anonymous marker, such as a simple cross; boots, rifle and helmet; a sword and shield; a cairn of stones; or even a monument. A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other dividing one or two of the lines in half This may occur when identification of the deceased is impossible. Although many unidentified deceased are buried in potter's fields, some are memorialized, especially in smaller communities or in the case of deaths publicized by local media. A potter's field is a place for the burial of unknown or indigent people

Many countries have buried an unidentified soldier (or other member of the military) in a prominent location as a form of respect for all unidentified war dead. The United Kingdom's Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is in Westminster Abbey, France's is buried underneath the Arc de Triomphe, Italy's is buried in the Monumento al Milite Ignoto in Rome, Canada's is buried at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Australia's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, New Zealand's Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is in Wellington and the United States' Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located at Arlington National Cemetery. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Arc de Triomphe is a monument in Paris, France that stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle also known as the Place de l'Étoile. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The National War Memorial (also known as The Response) is a tall granite Cenotaph with acreted bronze sculptures that stands in Confederation Square For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Throughout history many Soldiers have died in wars without their remains being identified The Australian War Memorial is Australia 's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated Canberra ( is the capital city of Australia With a population of over 340000 it is Australia's largest inland City. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The New Zealand Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is at the National War Memorial in Buckle Street Wellington. Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the The Tomb of the Unknowns (also known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, although it has never been officially named is a monument dedicated to American servicemen who have Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States, established during the American Civil War

Many cultures practise anonymous burial as a norm, not an exception. For instance, in parts of eastern Germany, up to 43% of burials are anonymous. [10] According to Christian Century magazine, the perspective of the Roman Catholic Church is that anonymous burials reflect a dwindling belief in God, but others claim that the practice relates more to the exorbitant cost of grave markers and the solitary nature of German life. The Christian Century is a Christian Magazine based in Chicago, Illinois. [11]

Secret burial

In rare cases, a known person may be buried without identification, perhaps to avoid desecration of the corpse, grave robbing, or vandalism of the burial site. Desecration is the act of depriving something of its sacred character -- or the disrespectful or contemptuous treatment of that which is held to be sacred by a group or individual Grave robbing, grave robbery or tomb raiding is the act of uncovering a Tomb or Crypt to Steal the artifacts (as Illicit This may be particularly the case with infamous or notorious figures. In other cases, it may be to prevent the grave from becoming a tourist attractions or a destination of pilgrimage. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel In Religion and Spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or Search of great Moral significance Survivors may cause the deceased to be buried in a secret location or other unpublished place, or in a grave with a false name (or no name at all) on the marker.

When Walt Disney was cremated his ashes were buried in a secret location in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, California. Walter Elias Disney (December 5 1901 – December 15 1966 was a multiple Academy Award -winning American Film producer, director, Screenwriter Cremation is the act of reducing a Corpse by burning, generally in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately-owned Cemetery in Glendale, Los Angeles, in the United States. Some burial sites at Forest Lawn, such as those of Humphrey Bogart and Mary Pickford, are secluded in private gated gardens with no public access. Mary Pickford ( April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979) was an Academy Award -winning Canadian motion picture A number of tombs are also kept from the public eye. Forest Lawn's Court of Honour indicates that some of its crypts have plots which are reserved for individuals who may be "voted in" as "Immortals"; no amount of money can purchase a place. Photographs taken at Forest Lawn are not permitted to be published, and their information office usually refuses to reveal exactly where the remains of famous people are buried. Although the cemetery's owners state that this is meant to deter gravesite tourism, some critics say that the cemetery wishes visitors to purchase memorabilia at the funeral home's numerous gift shops instead of taking photographs for free, especially in the case of grave markers notable for their beauty. [12]

Multiple bodies per grave

Some couples or groups of people (such as a married couple or other family members) may wish to be buried in the same plot. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** In some cases, the coffins (or urns) may simply be buried side by side. In others, one casket may be interred above another. If this is planned for in advance, the first casket may be buried more deeply than is the usual practice so that the second casket may be placed over it without disturbing the first. In many states in Australia all graves are designated two or three depth (depending of the water table) for multiple burials, at the discretion of the burial rights holder, with each new interment atop the previous coffin separated by a thin layer of earth. As such all graves are dug to greater depth for the initial burial than the traditional six feet to facilitate this practice.

Mass burial is the practice of burying multiple bodies in one location. A mass grave is a grave containing multiple usually unidentified human corpses Civilizations attempting genocide often employ mass burial for victims. Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction in whole or in part of an ethnic racial religious or national group However, mass burial may in many cases be the only practical means of dealing with an overwhelming number of human remains, such as those resulting from a natural disaster, an act of terrorism, an epidemic, or an accident. A natural disaster is the consequence of a Natural hazard (eg Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion In Epidemiology, an epidemic (from Greek epi- upon + demos people is a classification of a disease that appears as new cases in a An accident is a specific identifiable unexpected unusual and unintended external event which occurs in a particular time and place without apparent or deliberate This practice has become less common in the developed world with the advent of genetic testing, but even in the 21st century remains which are unidentifiable by current methods may be buried in a mass grave. Genetic testing allows the genetic Diagnosis of vulnerabilities to inherited Diseases, and can also be used to determine a person's Ancestry.

Individuals who are buried at the expense of the local authorities and buried in potter's fields may be buried in mass graves. A potter's field is a place for the burial of unknown or indigent people Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is believed to have been buried in such a manner. In some cases, the remains of unidentified individuals may be buried in mass graves in potter's fields, making exhumation and future identification troublesome for law enforcement.

Naval ships sunk in combat are also considered mass graves by many countries. For example, U.S. Navy policy declares such wrecks a mass grave and forbids the recovery of remains. In lieu of recovery, divers or submersibles may leave a plaque dedicated to the memory of the ship or boat and its crew, and family members are invited to attend the ceremony.

Sites of large former battlefields may also contain one or more mass graves. Douaumont ossuary is one such mass grave, and it contains the remains of 130,000 soldiers from both sides of the battle of Verdun. The Douaumont Ossuary is a memorial containing the remains of soldiers who died on the battlefield during the Battle of Verdun in World War I. The Battle of Verdun was one of the most critical battles in World War I on the Western Front, fought between the German and French

Catacombs also constitute a form of mass grave. The first Burial galleries to be referred to as catacombs lie beneath San Sebastiano fuori le mura, in Rome. Some catacombs, for example those in Rome, were designated as a communal burial place. The Catacombs of Rome are ancient Catacombs or underground Burial places under or near Rome, Italy, of which there are at least forty some discovered Some, such as the catacombs of Paris, only became a mass grave when individual burials were relocated from cemeteries marked for demolition. The Catacombs of Paris or Catacombes de Paris are a famous underground ossuary in Paris, France.

Judaism does not generally allow multiple bodies in a grave. An exception to this is a grave in the military cemetery in Jerusalem, where there is a "kever ah-chim" (Heb. "grave of brothers") where two soldiers were killed together in a tank and are buried in one grave. As the bodies were so fused together with the metal of the tank that they could not be separately identified, they were buried in one grave (along with parts of the tank).

Cremation

The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, England. A cremation service has just finished.
The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A cremation service has just finished.
Main article: Cremation

There are several common alternatives to burial. Cremation is the act of reducing a Corpse by burning, generally in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire In cremation the body of the deceased is burned in a special oven. Cremation is the act of reducing a Corpse by burning, generally in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire An oven is an enclosed compartment for Heating, Baking or Drying. Most of the body is burnt during the cremation process, leaving only a few pounds of bone fragments. Combustion or burning is a complex sequence of Exothermic chemical reactions between a Fuel and an Oxidant accompanied by the production of Bones are rigid organs that form part of the Endoskeleton of Vertebrates They function to move support and protect the various organs of the body produce Bodies of small children and infants often produce very little in the way of "ashes", as ashes are composed of bone, and young people have softer bones, largely cartilage. CHILD syndrome (or congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects) is a genetic disorder Cartilage is a type of dense Connective tissue. It is composed of specialized cells called chondrocytes that produce a large amount of extracellular matrix Often these fragments are processed (ground) into a fine powder, which has led to cremated remains being called ashes. In recent times, cremation has become a popular option in the western world.

There is far greater flexibility in dealing with the remains in cremation as opposed to the traditional burial. Some of the options include scattering the ashes at a place close to the heart of the deceased or keeping the ashes at home. Ashes can also be buried either underground or in a columbarium niche. A columbarium (plural columbaria or columbariums) is a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary Urns (i

Live burial

Main article: Premature burial

Live burial sometimes occurs, in which individuals are buried while still alive. Having no way of escaping interment, they die in place, typically by asphyxiation, dehydration, starvation, or (in cold climates) exposure. Dehydration ( hypohydration) is the removal of Water ( hydro in ancient Greek) from an object Starvation (also called inanition) is a severe reduction in Vitamin, Nutrient, and Energy intake and is the most extreme form of People may come to be buried alive in a number of different ways:

Writer Edgar Allan Poe wrote a number of stories and poems about premature burial, including a story called "The Premature Burial. Edgar Allan Poe (January 19 1809 – October 7 1849 was an American poet, short-story Writer, editor and Literary critic, " These works inspired a widespread popular fear of this appalling but unlikely event. Various expedients have been devised to prevent this event, including burying live telephones or telemetry sensors in graves.

Burial at cross-roads

Historically, burial at cross-roads was the method of disposing of executed criminals and suicides. A crossroads (the word rarely appears in singular is a Road junction, where two or more Roads meet (there are three or more arms In the sociological field, crime is the breach of a rule or Law for which some governing authority or force may ultimately prescribe a Punishment At the cross-roads a rude cross usually stood, and this gave rise to the belief that these spots were selected as the next best burying-places to consecrated ground. The real explanation is that the ancient Teutonic peoples often built their altars at the cross-roads, and as human sacrifices, especially of criminals, formed part of the ritual, these spots came to be regarded as execution grounds. Hence after the introduction of Christianity, criminals and suicides were buried at the cross-roads during the night, in order to assimilate as far as possible their funeral to that of the pagans. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world An example of a cross-road execution-ground was the famous Tyburn in London, which stood on the spot where the Roman road to Edgware and beyond met the Roman road heading west out of London. History The village was one of two manors of the Parish of St Marylebone, which was itself named after the stream St Marylebone being London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The Roman Roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate news Edgware is a suburb of North London situated north-west of Charing Cross.

Superstition also played a part in the selection of cross-roads in the burial of suicides. Folk belief often held such individuals could rise as some form of undead (such as a vampire) and burying them at cross-roads would inhibit their ability to find and wreak havoc on their living relations and former associates. Undead is a collective name for fictional beings that are deceased yet behave as if alive Vampires are mythological or folkloric revenants who subsist by feeding on the blood of the living

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone

Burial of animals

By humans

Main article: Pet cemetery
Soldiers' dog cemetery at Edinburgh Castle
Soldiers' dog cemetery at Edinburgh Castle

In addition to burying human remains, many human cultures also regularly bury animal remains. A pet cemetery is a Cemetery for animals In addition to burying human remains many human cultures also regularly bury animal remains The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order Edinburgh Castle is an ancient Stronghold which dominates the sky-line of the

Pets and other animals of emotional significance are often ceremonially buried. A pet is an Animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a househeld animal as opposed to Livestock, Laboratory animals Working animals Most families bury deceased pets on their own properties, mainly in a yard, with a shoe box or any other type of container served as a coffin. Elaborate wood box Tom TanakaJPG|thumb|An elaborate wooden box]] Box describes a variety of containers and receptacles A coffin (also known as a casket in North American English) is a funerary Box used in the display and containment of deceased remains – either for The Ancient Egyptians are known to have mummified and buried cats, which they considered deities. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now A mummy is a Corpse whose Skin and Flesh have been preserved by either intentional or Incidental exposure to Chemicals extreme WikipediaManual of Style (spelling, articles should conform to one overall spelling style of English typically the one most linked to the article topic (if it is geographic See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always

By other animals

Humans are not always the only species to bury their dead. Chimpanzees and elephants are known to throw leaves and branches over fallen members of their family groups. Chimpanzee (often shortened to chimp) is the common name for the two extant Species of Apes in the Genus Pan. Elephants ( family: Elephantidae) are large land Mammals of the order Proboscidea.


Exhumation

The digging up of a buried body is called exhumation or disinterration, and is considered sacrilege by most cultures that bury their dead. Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object However, exhumation can occur in the following circumstances:

Frequently, cultures have different sets of exhumation taboos. A taboo is a strong Social prohibition (or ban) against words objects actions or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group culture Occasionally these differences result in conflict, especially in cases where a culture with more lenient exhumation rules wishes to operate on the territory of a stricter culture. For example, United States construction companies have run into conflict with Native American groups that wanted to preserve their ancient burial grounds from any form of modern construction. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the In the fields of Architecture and Civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the Building or assembling of Infrastructure Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States

In folklore and mythology, exhumation has also been frequently associated with the performance of rites to banish undead manifestations. Undead is a collective name for fictional beings that are deceased yet behave as if alive An example is the Mercy Brown Vampire Incident of Rhode Island, which occurred in 1892. The Mercy Brown Vampire Incident, which occurred in 1892 is one of the best documented cases of the Exhumation of a corpse in order to perform rituals to banish an Undead Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States

Alternatives to burial

Adashino Nembutsuji in Kyoto, Japan stands on a site where Japanese people once abandoned the bodies of the dead without burial.
Adashino Nembutsuji in Kyoto, Japan stands on a site where Japanese people once abandoned the bodies of the dead without burial. Adashino Nembutsuji (化野念仏寺 is a Buddhist Temple in Ukyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The are the dominant Ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent of these approximately 127 million are residents of Japan

Human bodies are not always buried. Alternatives to burial include the following:

In most cases these alternatives are still intended to maintain respect for the dead, but some are intended to prolong the display of the remains.

Cryonics is often mistakenly assumed to be an alternative interment method, but is in fact a medical procedure carried out to physically preserve the body in the hope that it will one day be technologically possible to revive the individual. Cryonics is the low-temperature Preservation of Humans and other Animals that can no longer be sustained by contemporary Medicine until See also information theoretical death; clinical death. Information-theoretic death is the destruction of the human brain and information within it to such an extent that recovery of the original mind and person that occupied the brain is Clinical death is the popular term for cessation of blood circulation and breathing

Notes and references

  1. ^ (1991) Uniquely Human. ISBN 0674921836.  
  2. ^ Evolving in their graves: early burials hold clues to human origins - research of burial rituals of Neanderthals
  3. ^ Uniquely Human page 163
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ [2]
  6. ^ Simpson, Jacqueline (August 2005). "The Miller's tomb: facts, gossip, and legend". Folklore.  
  7. ^ Simpson, Jacqueline (Jan. —Mar 1978). "The World Upside down Shall Be: A Note on the Folklore of Doomsday". The Journal of American Folklore 91 (359): 559-567.  
  8. ^ [3]
  9. ^ [4]
  10. ^ [5]
  11. ^ [6]
  12. ^ [7]
  13. ^ [8]
  14. ^ [9]

See also

External links

A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a Mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. A coffin (also known as a casket in North American English) is a funerary Box used in the display and containment of deceased remains – either for After Disasters with extensive loss of life due to trauma &mdashearthquakes storms human conflict etc A funeral is a Ceremony marking a person's Death. Funerary customs comprise the complex of Beliefs and practices used by a Culture to remember A grave is a place where a dead body (usually a human although sometimes an animal is buried A natural burial ground, also known as a green burial ground or an eco-cemetery is a Cemetery where the body is returned to the earth to Decompose and recycle A headstone, tombstone or gravestone is a marker normally carved from stone, placed over or next to the site of a Burial The Museum of Funeral Customs is located at 1440 Monument Ave Thanatology is the academic and often scientific, study of Death among human beings Corpse roads provided a practical means for transporting corpses often from remote communities to cemeteries that had burial rights such as parish churches and chapels

Dictionary

burial

-noun

  1. The act of burying; interment
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