Next-of-kin often feel pressured to make hasty funeral arrangements. Most contact a funeral director and tee up a conventional service plus burial or cremation. But what are the other options?
People need time and space to grieve at their own pace.
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In the 1700s ‘burial clubs’ emerged in response to fears of funeral poverty. These schemes persist today — along with marketing targeting the poor and vulnerable.
When a life ends, those who remain deal with the body.
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From burial sites targeted by grave robbers to disposing of ashes at sea, the job of disposing of the unclaimed dead has a rich history. Sadly, it still goes on today and is on the rise.
Madrid’s City of Justice building has been converted into a morgue for coronavirus victims.
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If no one claims the remains of cult leader and killer Charles Manson, it’s unclear what will happen to his body. Will it find an anonymous California grave or face dissection in an anatomy lab?
Many in the Western world lack the explicit mourning rituals that help people deal with loss. On Day of the Dead, two scholars describe ancient mourning practices.
An illustrated depiction of a scene of Lincoln lying in state.
Internet Archive Book Images
Dying in America 200 years ago was a simply family affair, devoid of pomp. The US Civil War and Abraham Lincoln’s embrace of embalming changed everything.
‘Green burials’ that use biodegradable coffins or lessen the environmental impact in other ways are on the rise.
AP Photo/Michael Hill
Although ‘Game of Thrones’ -style funeral pyres are still out of bounds, Americans are increasingly turning to cheaper, greener and more meaningful ways to dispose of their loved ones’ bodies.