A burial vault (also known as a burial liner, grave vault, and grave liner) is a container, formerly made of wood or brick but more often today made of metal or concrete, that encloses a coffin to help prevent a grave from sinking. Wooden coffins (or caskets) decompose, and often the weight of earth on top of the coffin, or the passage of heavy cemetery maintenance equipment over it, can cause the casket to collapse and the soil above it to settle.
The burial vault or burial liner is designed to prevent the weight of earth or heavy cemetery maintenance equipment from collapsing the coffin beneath. Coffin collapse will cause the ground to sink and settle, marring the appearance of the cemetery and making it harder to maintain. [1] Burial vaults originally emerged as a means of ensuring that grave robbers could not easily access a coffin and remove valuables, clothing, or even bodies from the coffin. [2] Early vaults were made of wood (the "rough box"), [3] although by the middle of the 1800s brick, [2] iron and later steel vaults were used. By the late 1800s, the fashion of burying the deceased with jewelry lost favor. [4] However, the value of burial vaults in ensuring that the ground did not settle over graves was seen, and burial vaults began to be more widely used. [2] By the early part of the 20th century, concrete (and, later, reinforced concrete) vaults became more common. [4]
Although quite commonly used in many industrialized countries, the burial vault is very much a funerary item used almost exclusively in the 20th century. In the United States, the burial vault was largely unknown until the 1880s when the L.G. Haase Manufacturing Co., which owned a cemetery in Illinois, conceived the burial vault as a means of adding a product line to their funerary sales. [2] As late as 1915, only 5 to 10 percent of funerals in the United States used a burial vault or liner. [5] In the 1930s, company owner Wilbert Haase, who had an interest in Egyptian mummification, began promoting the sealed (or "waterproof") vault as a means of allegedly protecting the body from water, microbes, and vermin. The Haase company later purchased several plastics companies, and began manufacturing plastic burial vaults as well. The company dominates the American burial vault market today, with about 12 percent of all vault and liner sales. [2]
A burial vault encloses a coffin on all four sides, the top, and the bottom. Modern burial vaults are lowered into the grave, and the coffin lowered into the vault. A lid is then lowered to cover the coffin and seal the vault. Modern burial vaults may be made of concrete, metal, or plastic. Because the sides of the burial vault are attached to the bottom of the vault, the burial vault is generally stronger than a burial liner. [6] Some burial vaults reverse the construction, so that only a base is placed beneath the coffin. The lid consists of the four sides and the top. These types of burial vaults allow a better seal between the lid and base. [7]
A burial liner is similar to a burial vault, but does not have a bottom. With a burial liner, the coffin is lowered directly onto the earth. The burial liner is then lowered over the coffin. Modern burial liners may also be made of concrete, metal, or plastic. [8] Many come in a wide array of colors, even stripes. [5]
Burial vaults do not prevent the decomposition of the human remains within. [8] Vaults which are installed incorrectly and too tightly sealed may not allow gases generated by the decomposing body to escape. Pressure then builds up within the vault until the vault ruptures, causing the vault to fail. [9] Although some manufacturers of burial vaults claim that their vaults are "green" (environmentally friendly) and prevent the toxic chemicals used in embalming from leaching into the surrounding soil, such claims are uniformly false since the vault cannot be hermetically sealed without causing it to rupture from the pressure of decomposing gases. [10] A truly "green" or natural burial does not use embalming fluids, and does not attempt to protect the body from the soil and rapid decomposition. [11]
Modern burial vaults often come in a variety of styles, which can greatly increase the cost. [8] Modern vaults and liners sometimes are lined on the inside with bronze, copper, fiberglass, or stainless steel sheeting, and some vaults and liners are inscribed on the outer surface with words, scenes, or other images. [7]
Some jurisdictions require the use of a burial vault or burial liner. For example, several U.S. states require them. [8] In some cases, cemeteries require the use of a burial vault or liner, although it is not a legal requirement. [12]
Data on the use of burial vaults and liners outside the United States is very difficult to come by, and usage rates are not known. [13] Burial vaults and liners are almost unheard of in China and Japan. Cremation is required in China, and is used in 90 percent of burials in Japan. [14] They are also uncommon in Italy. In modern Italy, burial plots (either below-ground or in wall loculi) are re-used after a period of years, usually 10 to 25. At that time, most of the soft body parts have decomposed, and the bones are removed to an ossuary. [15]
In the United States, the use of burial vaults is also decreasing, caused by a sharp rise in the number of cremations. Whereas 36 percent of all deceased were cremated in the United States in 2008, the National Association of Funeral Directors forecast this to rise to 46 percent by 2015 and 59 percent by 2025. [16]
Jewish law does not bar the use of burial vaults or liners, and their use is permitted where law or a cemetery requires them. [17] But Morrison David Bial argues that burial vaults are antithetical to traditional Judaism, in part because they deny the reality of death (e.g., inhibit decomposition of the body) and in part because they are ostentatious and undercut the equality of all people at death. [18]
Islamic law requires only that the body be washed, anointed, and wrapped in linen for burial. Funerals must be kept simple, and no ostentation is allowed. [19] Preferably, the body should be buried without coffin or burial vault, although such is permitted if required by law. Generally, Muslims prefer to have separate cemeteries due to the specific preference for burial without coffin or vault. [20]
Burial vaults and liners do not decompose, and have been criticized as being environmentally unfriendly. [13] [21] Burial vaults and liners consumed more than 14,000 short tons (13,000 t) of steel and more than 1,636,000 short tons (1,484,000 t) of reinforced concrete in 2009. [22]
A burial vault or liner is not the only solution to settling earth over the grave. Traditional burials with a casket leave a larger void and thus create more settlement when the casket decomposes or collapses. Natural or "green" burials do not use a casket, which means only minimal settling. In either case, the cemetery can remedy sunken graves by filling in the settled area. [22]
A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect the dead, from interment, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor. Customs vary between cultures and religious groups. Funerals have both normative and legal components. Common secular motivations for funerals include mourning the deceased, celebrating their life, and offering support and sympathy to the bereaved; additionally, funerals may have religious aspects that are intended to help the soul of the deceased reach the afterlife, resurrection or reincarnation.
A funeral home, funeral parlor or mortuary, is a business that provides burial and funeral services for the dead and their families. These services may include a prepared wake and funeral, and the provision of a chapel for the funeral.
A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word cemetery implies that the land is specifically designated as a burial ground and originally applied to the Roman catacombs. The term graveyard is often used interchangeably with cemetery, but a graveyard primarily refers to a burial ground within a churchyard.
Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning.
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objects in it, and covering it over. A funeral is a ceremony that accompanies the final disposition. Evidence suggests that some archaic and early modern humans buried their dead. Burial is often seen as indicating respect for the dead. It has been used to prevent the odor of decay, to give family members closure and prevent them from witnessing the decomposition of their loved ones, and in many cultures it has been seen as a necessary step for the deceased to enter the afterlife or to give back to the cycle of life.
A coffin is a funerary box used for viewing or keeping a corpse, either for burial or cremation.
Embalming is the art and science of preserving human remains by treating them to forestall decomposition. This is usually done to make the deceased suitable for viewing as part of the funeral ceremony or keep them preserved for medical purposes in an anatomical laboratory. The three goals of embalming are sanitization, presentation, and preservation, with restoration being an important additional factor in some instances. Performed successfully, embalming can help preserve the body for a duration of many years. Embalming has a very long and cross-cultural history, with many cultures giving the embalming processes a greater religious meaning.
A bier is a stand on which a corpse, coffin, or casket containing a corpse is placed to lie in state or to be carried to the grave.
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries.
Burial at sea is the disposal of human remains in the ocean, normally from a ship, boat or aircraft. It is regularly performed by navies, and is done by private citizens in many countries.
After Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, a three-week series of events was held to mourn the death and memorialize the life of the 16th president of the United States. Funeral services, a procession, and a lying in state were first held in Washington, D.C., then a funeral train transported Lincoln's remains 1,654 miles (2,662 km) through seven states for burial in Springfield, Illinois. Never exceeding 20 mph, the train made several stops in principal cities and state capitals for processions, orations, and additional lyings in state. Millions of Americans viewed the train along the route and participated in associated ceremonies.
A funeral director, also known as an undertaker or mortician, is a professional involved in the business of funeral rites. These tasks often entail the embalming and burial or cremation of the dead, as well as the arrangements for the funeral ceremony. Funeral directors may at times be asked to perform tasks such as dressing, casketing, and cossetting. A funeral director may work at a funeral home or be an independent employee.
Natural burial is the interment of the body of a dead person in the soil in a manner that does not inhibit decomposition but allows the body to be naturally recycled. It is an alternative to typical contemporary Western burial methods and modern funerary customs.
A safety coffin or security coffin is a coffin fitted with a mechanism to prevent premature burial or allow the occupant to signal that they have been buried alive. A large number of designs for safety coffins were patented during the 18th and 19th centuries and variations on the idea are still available today.
The death care industry in the United States includes companies and organizations that provide services related to death: funerals, cremation or burial, and memorials. This includes for example funeral homes, coffins, crematoria, cemeteries, and headstones. The death care industry within the U.S. consists mainly of small businesses, although there has been considerable consolidation over time.
The Funeral Rule, enacted by the Federal Trade Commission on April 30, 1984, and amended effective 1994, was designed to protect consumers by requiring that they receive adequate information concerning the goods and services they may purchase from a funeral provider.
During the Pre-Hispanic period the early Filipinos believed in a concept of life after death. This belief, which stemmed from indigenous ancestral veneration and was strengthened by strong family and community relations within tribes, prompted the Filipinos to create burial customs to honor the dead through prayers and rituals. Due to different cultures from various regions of the Philippines, many different burial practices have emerged. For example, the Manobos buried their dead in trees, the Ifugaos seated the corpse on a chari before it was brought to a cave and buried elsewhere. The most common forms of traditional burials are supine pits, earthenware jars, and log coffins, and have been a topic of interest among Philippine archaeologists since the early 20th century.
A receiving vault or receiving tomb, sometimes also known as a public vault, is a structure designed to temporarily store dead bodies in winter months when the ground is too frozen to dig a permanent grave in a cemetery. Technological advancements in excavation, embalming, and refrigeration have rendered the receiving vault obsolete.
The Victims of Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon Memorial is a memorial over a group burial site at Arlington National Cemetery in the United States. It commemorates the victims of the attack on the Pentagon, which was struck by a Boeing 757 commercial airliner hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists on September 11, 2001, killing 184 people. The memorial specifically honors the five individuals for whom no identifiable remains were found. However, a portion of the remains of 25 other victims are buried at the site. The names of the 115 Pentagon employees and 10 contractors in the building, as well as the 53 passengers and six crew members aboard American Airlines Flight 77 are inscribed on the memorial.