Cremation

Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning (combustion). Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to the burial or interment of an intact dead body. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre is an ancient tradition. Starting in the 19th century, cremation was introduced or reintroduced into other parts of the world. In modern times, cremation is commonly carried out with a closed furnace (cremator), at a funeral home, or a crematorium.

Process

Cremation involves the incineration of the body at a temperature of 800 to 1000 degrees Celsius. The intense heat helps reduce the body to its basic elements and dried bone fragments. The process takes place in a cremation chamber, also known as a retort, of a crematory. The remains, known as cremains, are not ashes in the usual sense, but rather dried bone fragments that have been pulverized in a device called a cremulator.

History

Cremation dates from at least 20,000 years ago in the archaeological record, with the Mungo Lady, the remains of a partly cremated body found at Lake Mungo, Australia. Alternative death rituals emphasizing one method of disposal of a body—inhumation (burial), cremation, or exposure—have gone through periods of preference throughout history.

Religious views

The act of cremation is considered sacred in some religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism while it is frowned upon in others like Islam and Judaism. The Catholic Church lifted its ban on cremation in 1963 and now allows for the practice, although it prefers burial.

Environmental impact

Cremation uses fewer resources than other forms of disposition, and the ashes can be returned to the earth in a number of environmentally friendly ways. However, the process does release greenhouse gases, and there is ongoing research into more sustainable methods of cremation.

See also

• Burial
• Funeral home
• Crematorium
• Death rituals

References

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