Interment Arrangements: Your Options for Human Remains

Whether the deceased’s body is buried or cremated, a decision needs to be made about the permanent arrangements for the body. This is commonly referred to as choosing a "final resting place." Common options are:

1. Earth burial More...

2. Entombment More...

• Mausoleum crypt

• Lawn crypt

3. Cremation More...

• Burial of ashes and container (e.g., urn)

• Entombment of the ashes and container

• Scattering of the ashes

• Safekeeping in a container at home.

4. Donation More...

• The whole body for medical science

• Organs and subsequent disposition by one of the methods listed above.

5. Alternative arrangements More...

• Burial at sea (with or without a casket)

• Cryogenics (i.e., freezing the body).

Earth Burial

In our culture, most people are buried in cemeteries. This involves purchasing a grave site. Many families have prepaid and earmarked space in a family plot where generations are buried. Some people are buried on personal property.

Earth burial also requires a casket and, in most cases, a burial vault.

See Merchandise for more on these items.

Entombment

Being entombed in a mausoleum or lawn crypt is another option. A mausoleum is a large sepulchral monument containing a chamber in which funeral urns and coffins are stored. The name is derived from the tomb of King Mausolus in Turkey whose wife erected the mausoleum about 350 BC.

The Pyramids, The Catacombs, and The Taj Mahal are other notable mausolea. While all are monuments to individuals of means and power, they represent a strong human desire to be memorialized in a unique and lasting way.

As the 19th century church cemeteries filled, community mausolea became popular as a way to conserve space and accommodate additional "guests." Instead of housing a single person or family, they accommodate many people. They are more common in areas where land is swampy or freezing, making burial difficult.

Lawn crypts are normally smaller and designed to hold only members of one family.

See Service Providers — Cemeteries for more information on mausoleums and lawn crypts.

Donating the Body to Science

In an age where studying the human body can help medical science and organs can save lives, donation is an important consideration. Donation of organs or donation of the body should not affect funeral ceremonies. Donated organs must be transplanted shortly after death. After the organs have been taken, all aspects of the funeral can proceed as they would otherwise, including an open casket viewing, traditional funeral services, and burial or cremation. Likewise, donation of a body to medical science can be preceded by a viewing and funeral ceremonies.

Take these 3 steps to ensure that your donation wishes will be followed:

1. Make your family aware of your decision to donate. Family consent will be needed regardless of whether you have signed a Donor Card or a Driver's License. They will be more likely to follow your wishes if you have discussed the issue with them previously.
2. Sign a Uniform Donor Card and have 2 people (preferably family members) sign as witnesses. The back of your Driver's License may also have a donor authorization form.
3. Carry the Donor Card in your wallet at all times.

Additional information and Donor Cards can be obtained via the web from:

American Medical Association (www.ama-assn.org)

International Association for Organ Donation (www.iaod.org)

Burial at Sea and Other Alternatives

Alternative interment arrangements, such as burial at sea, are generally handled by specialized service providers. Oftentimes, Funeral Directors have relationships with these organizations and are able to contract their services for you.

The most common method of burial at sea is a scattering of cremated remains. Whole body burials are possible but they are more involved due, in part, to regulations requiring them to be done at a specific depth of the sea and the need for a specially prepared casket that will descend to the ocean floor. The service providers that specialize in burial at sea are familiar with the various federal and state laws and will handle all governmental reporting requirements.

The Department of the Navy offers free burial at sea services for veterans and their families subject to certain restrictions.

Back to top of page

See related topics:

Cremation
Preparation of Deceased
Embalming
DNA Sampling
Autopsy

Go to Learn About Funerals — Index of Topics.