| History of Cremation – The history of cremation | | | | type of container used may also influence cost. |
| or the practice of burning rather than burial of the | | | | Cremated remains can be scattered or buried. |
| deceased refers to the disposal of a human body by | | | | Cremation plots or columbarium niches usually cost |
| burning in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire. | | | | less than a burial plot or mausoleum crypt, and |
| Bodies of the deceased can also be burned in a | | | | require less space. However, some religions, such as |
| crematorium pit or trench, or, on occasion, in the | | | | Roman Catholicism, require the burial or entombment |
| house in which they lived. Cremation practices are | | | | of cremated remains. |
| historically very ancient and widespread, and are the | | | | Modern cremator fuels include natural gas and |
| second most common way to dispose of the dead, | | | | propane. However, coal and coke were used until the |
| after burial. Disposal of the cremated remains often | | | | early 1960s. Modern cremators have adjustable |
| shows the most variation; the most common | | | | control systems that monitor the furnace during |
| practice both historically and contemporaneously is to | | | | cremation. |
| house the ashes in a pottery vessel or decorative | | | | A cremation furnace is not designed to cremate |
| urn. The container can then be buried or put on | | | | more than one body at a time, which is illegal in many |
| display in the home of a loved one. Other practices | | | | countries, including the United States. The chamber |
| may include the scattering of ashes over a body of | | | | where the body is placed is called the retort and is |
| water, or a plot of land. The disposal of cremated | | | | lined with refractory brick that retains heat. |
| ashes often varies throughout different parts of the | | | | Modern cremators are computer controlled to ensure |
| world. | | | | legal and safe use; the door cannot be opened until |
| Cremation practices may be used for a variety of | | | | the cremator has reached operating temperature. |
| reasons. Some cultures may view fire as a purifying | | | | The coffin is inserted, or charged, into the retort as |
| agent and see the practice of cremation as the most | | | | quickly as possible to avoid heat loss through the |
| respectful way to dispose of the dead. Other | | | | top-opening door. Some crematoria allow relatives to |
| societies may believe cremation to light the way into | | | | view the charging. This is sometimes done for |
| the afterlife, or to prevent the spirit of the deceased | | | | religious reasons, such as in traditional Hindu funerals. |
| from returning to the world of the living. More | | | | A body to be cremated is first placed in a container |
| modern reasoning may include the shortage of land in | | | | for cremation, which can be a simple corrugated |
| urban areas | | | | cardboard box or a wooden casket. Most casket |
| When considering the history of cremation, It is | | | | manufacturers provide a line of caskets specially built |
| important to note that it was practiced throughout | | | | for cremation. Another option is a cardboard box that |
| the ancient world as the most proper way to dispose | | | | fits inside a wooden shell designed to look like a |
| of the dead. Early cremation practices placed the | | | | traditional casket. After the funeral service the |
| body in a log pyre over an open flame and waited | | | | interior box is removed from the shell before |
| until the body was consumed by fire, eventually | | | | cremation, permitting the shell to be reused. Funeral |
| leaving only ashes. Archaeologists have found the | | | | homes may also offer rental caskets, which are |
| practice of cremation to be used by the indigenous | | | | traditional caskets used only for the duration of the |
| peoples of the Pacific Northwest, the Northern | | | | services, after which the body is transferred to |
| Athapascan people of Alaska, and various cultural | | | | another container for cremation. Rental caskets are |
| groups throughout Canada. The practice can be | | | | sometimes designed with removable beds and liners, |
| traced back to the early Greeks as early as 1000 | | | | replaced after each use. |
| B.C.E. who used it as a predominate means to | | | | In the United Kingdom, the body is not removed |
| dispose of the bodies of heroes and war dead. | | | | from the coffin, and is not placed into a container as |
| Among the Romans, cremation marked the disposal | | | | described above. The body is cremated with the |
| of the rich and largely became a status symbol | | | | coffin, which is why all UK coffins that are to be |
| throughout the civilization. Pagan Scandinavians were | | | | used for cremation must be made of combustible |
| also found to cremate their dead, as did ancient | | | | material. The Code of Cremation Practice forbids the |
| Indian societies. Cremation in Hinduism, notable for | | | | opening of the coffin once it has arrived at the |
| not only allowing but prescribing the practice, can be | | | | crematorium, and rules stipulate that it must be |
| first attested in the Cemetery H culture, from about | | | | cremated on the same day as the funeral service. |
| 1900 B.C.E. | | | | Jewelry is strongly advised to be removed before |
| Throughout the history of cremation, particularly in | | | | the coffin is sealed, as the coffin cannot be opened |
| part of Asia, only the most praised members of a | | | | once it has been received at the crematorium. After |
| society were cremated, such as the Tibetan high | | | | the cremation process has been completed, the |
| lamas. Early Christianity vehemently opposed | | | | remains are passed through a magnetic field to |
| cremation in an attempt to abolish early pagan rituals; | | | | remove any metal, which will be interred elsewhere in |
| following 1000 C.E., the practice was widely | | | | the crematorium grounds. |
| abandoned throughout much of Europe except in | | | | In Australia, the deceased are cremated in a coffin |
| extreme circumstances such as disposal of the | | | | supplied by the undertaker and any reusable or |
| victims of the Black Death plague. | | | | cardboard coffins cannot be used. If cost is an issue, |
| The practice reemerged in the late nineteenth | | | | a plain, particle-board coffin, known as a "chippie," will |
| century due to the rise of large cities and the reform | | | | be offered. Handles, if fitted, are plastic and |
| of public health practices. In Britain, the cremation | | | | approved for use in a cremator. Coffins vary from |
| movement also found the support of Queen | | | | unfinished particle board to solid timber, though most |
| Victoria's surgeon, Sir Henry Thompson, who | | | | are veneered particle board. |
| together with colleagues founded the Cremation | | | | Cremations can be "delivery only," with no preceding |
| Society of England in 1874. The first crematoria in | | | | chapel service at the crematorium, or preceded by a |
| Europe were built in 1878, in Woking, England, and | | | | service in one of the crematorium chapels. |
| Gotha, Germany; the first in North America was | | | | Delivery-only allows crematoriums to schedule |
| founded in 1876, by Francis Julius LeMoyne in | | | | cremations to make best use of the cremators. |
| Washington, Pennsylvania. | | | | Jewelry, such as wristwatches and rings, is ordinarily |
| The history of cremation has in always been a | | | | removed and returned to the family. The only |
| influenced by religion. Some of the various Protestant | | | | non-natural item required to be removed from the |
| churches came to accept cremation, with the | | | | body is a pacemaker, as a pacemaker could explode |
| rationale being, "God can resurrect a bowl of ashes | | | | and damage the cremator. In the United Kingdom, |
| just as conveniently as he can resurrect a bowl of | | | | the undertaker is required to remove pacemakers |
| dust." In 1963, Pope Paul VI lifted the ban on | | | | prior to delivering the body to the crematorium, and |
| cremation, and in 1966, allowed Catholic priests to | | | | sign a declaration stating that any pacemaker has |
| officiate at cremation ceremonies. | | | | been removed. |
| Cost factors may also tend to make cremation more | | | | An alternative method used in some cultures, such as |
| attractive. Generally speaking, cremation costs less | | | | Hinduism, is burning the corpse on a pyre. A pyre is a |
| than traditional burial services, especially if direct | | | | pile of wood upon, or within, which the deceased |
| cremation is chosen, in which the body is cremated | | | | body is placed. The mound is lit on fire; the fire |
| as soon as legally possible without any sort of | | | | consumes the wood and the deceased. This method |
| service. However, there is wide variation in the cost | | | | is not commonly found in the western world, where |
| of cremation services, having mainly to do with the | | | | crematorium furnaces are used, and is often |
| amount of service desired by the deceased or the | | | | forbidden by law. But is never the less the beginning |
| family. A cremation can take place after a full | | | | of the history of cremation. Read more about our |
| traditional funeral service, which may add cost. The | | | | Funeral Cremation Services. |