The rite of burial dates back 100,000 years. In many cultures, human bodies are buried in soil which can be seen as an attempt to lessen the pain of losing a loved one by interring a body away from plain view.

In modern times, the custom of burying people below ground in a casket or coffin, with a stone marker to indicate the burial place, is used in most cultures. Also, a body may be buried above ground in a mausoleum, either public or private. However, in a traditional burial, the deceased is housed in a casket usually made of wood or metal and the body is embalmed for preservation between death and burial. A burial vault is a lined and sealed outer receptacle that houses and protects the casket.

The cremated remains of a person may also be buried below ground in an urn containing cremated remains. Burials may take place on land or at sea. Burial at sea is the disposal of human remains in the ocean, normally from a ship or boat. It is regularly performed by navies, and also takes place by private citizens in many countries. The ceremony may include burial in a casket, burial in an urn, or scattering of the cremated remains over the water.

Recently, revolutionary methods of burial are surfacing with ecology in mind. They are known as “green burials”. Simply wrapping the body in a shroud without other protection is widely accepted and permits the body to decompose into the earth. Other methods support the growing of a tree by using the decomposing body or ashes for fertilizer. To some, leaving behind a tree definitely seems like a better option than leaving behind a tombstone.

To Learn More:

www.navy.mil/navydata/questions/burial.htm

www.funeralplan.com/funeralplan/cremation/sea.htm

http://bigthink.com/design-for-good/this-awesome-urn-will-turn-you-into-a-tree-after-you-die

www.boredpanda.com/biodegradable-burial–pod-memory-forest-capsula-mundi/