About Burial Shrouds

A burial shroud is a distinguished wrap for the body; also referred to as burial sheets, winding-cloths or winding sheets. Shrouds can be made from white cotton, wool, linen or other material that is made of natural fibers. 

The shrouded body can be delicately carried with attached natural woven straps or inserted bamboo poles, and transported by hand to the natural setting. The shrouded body may simply be laid directly into a casket, or easily carried alone. Shroudage is much lighter than the usual (100 lb. to 300 lb.) weight of a casket.

The folds and ties of this shroud (at right) are patterned after a Japanese gift wrapping method, where presents are enclosed in material, not paper.


Shroud of Turin

The Shroud of Turin dates back to the Middle Ages, likely between 1260 and 1390. It's made of herringbone twill, composed of flax fibrils, sized 14.3 ft. by 2.7 ft.

Shroud of Grushetskaya

This was Agafya Grushetskaya's shroud, daughter of Russian Noble, Semyon Fyodorovich Grushetsky & Mariya Ivanovna Zaborovskaya, she married Tsar Feodor III of Russia, becoming Queen (Tsaritsa). She died in 1681, aged 18, from childbirth complications.

When are burial shrouds used?

Some religions require the use of a burial shroud wrapped around the body prior to burial. For example, Jews use a burial shroud or "Tachrichim" and Muslims use burial shrouds of white cotton or linen shroud referred to as "Al kafan". 

The shroud is often wrapped around the body and the wrapped body is placed inside the casket for burial. Green burial grounds usually require the use of either a biodegradable casket or a natural burial shroud for burials in their cemeteries.

If you choose burial, would you use a burial shroud? Why or why not?

What You Should Know About Cemetery Burial

Cemeteries Require a Burial Vault or Grave Liner

If a contemporary cemetery has been chosen for the burial, a concrete grave liner or burial vault is usually required by the cemetery. Most cemeteries require this because it keeps the ground level, which makes the land easier to maintain (mow), as well as safer for the families and visitors who walk through the cemetery.

Unless a lawn crypt is already installed in the plot you purchase, you will need to purchase a vault or liner additionally. In Oregon cemeteries, basic concrete grave liners cost less than $1,000 and sealed burial vaults range from $1,500 to $9,000. There are also fees associated with installing the vault (usually around $150) and fees to open and close the grave (usually ranging from $100 for an urn, to $500 to $1000 for a casket). (See the red line of image A left. This is the burial vault or grave liner which surrounds the casket.)

Cemetery Burial Compromise (Ask for a Flipped Burial Vault)

When religious or environmental beliefs require the body to touch the earth, many cemeteries choose to accommodate this request by flipping the burial vault upside down and leaving it uncapped so that the body or the bottom of the casket is laid directly on the soil. Note: In this instance you must still purchase the entire vault, but most cemeteries do not charge to flip the vault for you. This option satisfies the requirements of the cemetery, as well as religious objections and/or environmental beliefs. (See image B at right. Note: grave liner, indicated in red, is open at bottom).

 

Green Burial

Green burial (or natural burial) grounds do not use containers. This provides a more direct return to the soil. (See image C left. In this instance, a burial shroud is often used).

Green Burial Grounds often use indigenous rock or planting a shrub as a markers. These lands are preserved and function as parks for life to thrive. While the graves disappear into the landscape. Locations are noted with Global Positioning System coordinates. (GIS) also helps pinpoint your loved one's final resting place.

Please share your thoughts on burial. Would you prefer cemetery burial or green burial? What advice can you share with others? 

Green Burial vs Modern Cemetery

Preserve History; Preserve the Earth. 

When it comes to burial, there are two different overall outlooks. One group is concerned preserving precious wilderness and returning naturally to the earth, and the other group wants to preserve and share their history and life experiences with others beyond their lifetime. If we consider this fact, it becomes clear that both contemporary cemeteries and green burial grounds serve a specific, important purpose to society. One preserves our earth. One preserves our history.

Focus each Cemetery on what it does Best.

Some consumers are beginning to inquire about more sustainable endings. They question the necessity of embalming, the cost and material waste of contemporary caskets and wonder why green burial isn’t made more widely available.

Although new green burial grounds have been opening up in answer to these concerns, offering embalming-free burials and biodegradable caskets, contemporary cemeteries have also begun looking to meet the consumer’s desires by offering green burials in their contemporary cemeteries. Additionally, some modern cemeteries even offer green burials right alongside contemporary burials. The question we must ask here is - do families looking for green burial want to be buried in town, in a contemporary, manicured and paved cemetery? For most, we have found the answer is “no”.

What's really driving the green burial funeral movement...

People see modern, paved, landscaped cemeteries as wasteful. They see land as a valuable resource. What green burial advocates are really concerned about is land conservation, not their carbon footprint. Cemeteries and crematories offering carbon offsets are completely out of touch. It's also quite ridiculous to "green wash" a cemetery, labeling it a "hybrid", (offering green burial in the middle of a concrete-lined cemetery.) As you will notice,

the most revered green burial grounds are usually off the beaten path, non-landscaped, non-paved plots of land rife with native trees and vegetation. The families who choose to bury loved ones in these lands don’t want paved roads to get to them. They want the natural process of returning to the earth to take place amid the beauty of nature. They want to contribute to a practice that conserves the land for future generations. These desires are unfortunately not ones that fit well into a contemporary cemetery space. However, this statement is not meant to devalue the modern cemetery. Rather, we would like to point out that the contemporary, paved, manicured cemetery has a grander agenda on its hands than to turn its sights towards "hybrid" burial to address the real issue of infrequent visitation.

Reuse is 100% Eco-Friendly

When we think of green or sustainable, most often the first thing that comes to mind is a biodegradable product or an efficient reuse of resources. Let us consider the three R’s to reducing waste: reduce, reuse and recycle. By actually following the lifecycle of a product, reusing and repurposing the item, this achieves the purpose of sustainability.

A Greener Cemetery is a Frequented Cemetery

The fact of the matter is that modern cemeteries already exist. Their land has already been designated for burial purposes. Their roads are already paved. Their locations are centrally located, well-known, convenient and easily accessed. Green burial advocates do not diminish their significant benefits. However, these locations are simply not frequented.

Modern Cemeteries are Rich in History

Modern cemeteries are rich, historical repositories that have the power to incorporate elements of fun, entertainment, and educational experiences to their visitors. They can transform their conveniently located and gloriously maintained parks into interactive biographical and historical time capsules for families and the public to enjoy.

Technology Brings History to Life

There are so many ways to improve and expand upon these existing cemeteries and memorial parks, yet we do not see the technology face lift taking place. The memorial park can and should be the center of activity in the community. If land is for the living, why not bring these already dedicated parks to life? New technology will improve and reinvigorate the modern cemetery and protect our rich history.

Green Cemeteries = land preservation.  

Modern Cemeteries = history preservation.

We can imagine a rewarding divide taking place between the green burial grounds and modern cemeteries. Let’s consider the purpose of each type of cemetery. While green burial parks will function to preserve green spaces for future generations our modern cemeteries will preserve our local legends, folklore and history. While green burial parks will be the place to go when we want to be reabsorbed back into the earth, our modern cemetery is where we will go to hear the stories of our family, friends and neighbors. Each type of cemetery deserves to function in its strongest capacity. Let’s not dilute the integrity for which each was originally intended.

Our Video on Livening Up Our Cemeteries

Please share your thoughts on natural burial and our modern cemeteries. Can we preserve land and history at the same time? How can we improve our local cemeteries and encourage generations to take an interest in the local history in our cemeteries?

Dangers of Formaldehyde Embalming

In conventional embalming, blood is drained from a cadaver’s circulatory system and replaced by a formaldehyde based embalming fluid to delay decomposition. Formaldehyde has a GROUP 1 carcinogen status, the highest toxicity level issued to any chemical. Extensive documentation catalogs the risks of serious allergic/asthmatic reactions, allergic sensitization, IgE Immune-mediated hypersensitivity, and allergic contact dermatitis. Formaldehyde is a groundwater contaminant, industrial river and lake effluent, wastewater treatment plant impactor, and a soil deposition/impact chemical. In the average 6-8 ounces of formaldehyde leaked through a casket and concrete vault per grave, formaldehyde’s environmental half-life and pathways of biodegradation are still 50-75 times the maximum health advisory limits for contaminant/soil leachant.

On average two-thirds of the time, embalming prep rooms are exceeding ACGIH and OSHA limits for safe exposure. “Airborne concentrations above 0.1 ppm can cause irritation of the eyes nose and throat. The severity of irritation increases as concentration increases; at 100 ppm it is immediately dangerous to life, health, and explosively high vapor pressure.

Green burial alternatives are worth exploring to avoid these toxins.

All content © Village Memorial. 2009-2010.

Home Funeral Trend

Americans - Not Caring for Our Own Dead
Periodically people you know and love will die. The one thing that is certain in life is death. There is no way around it. You and I, our family, community, the entire human civilization alive today will all pass sometime in the next century. This thought is one most Americans try to avoid.

Let’s say your grandmother has had a stroke and is near death at a local hospital. You go to her to be with her in her last moments, and then, the beloved person before you, who had cared for you, raised you, and loved you is gone. No sooner has she passed when, you are asked to leave the room. A doctor will be in to fill out the death certificate and then your loved one will be whisked away to the hospital morgue, or worse to be sliced and probed in autopsy (if the cause of death was unclear). You choose a funeral home and they take care of the rest of the process. Her body is now property of the state. The next time you see her will be for maybe an hour or two at the wake where she’s been specifically prepared for extended viewing time (some liken this as being turned into a human pickle). From there it’s time to head to the cemetery or collect her ashes. It is a process that is far removed from a personal and private investment with your loved one who has passed.

Knox (2009) explains how she felt when her young daughter passed. “I had given birth to her. She had lived with me every day of her life. I had carefully chosen what she was exposed to, what she ate, where she went to school. I was required by law to care well for her. But now that her heart had stopped beating, I was being told that her care was no longer my concern.” Knox (2009) No wonder Americans have such a hard time with loss. Death has been institutionalized and turned into a series of merchandising and purchasing obligations. The whole experience is empty, demoralizing and expensive.

In Support of Home Funerals
Home funerals assist in the healing of and recovery of survivors. One dangerous coping method of loss “is to deny its existence” (Roussell, 1999, p. 6). A home funeral gives people the extra time needed to adjust to the reality that their loved one is gone. Not only is it healthier for the grieving process to have this time, the additional responsibilities also aid the grieving process. Those who have cared for their own dead have found the experience both meaningful and empowering. Knox (1999) describes the home funeral she held for 8-year-old daughter:

We brought her home and kept her in her room for three days surrounded by her beloved toys and pictures and stuffed animals. Her friends came to be with her one last time, and took as much time as they needed to say goodbye. Her teachers came to stroke her cheek. Her brothers, her aunt and uncles, her cousins, her babysitters, her grandparents could all be with her. We could all sit with her for hours if we chose, trying, trying to get used to the idea, trying to take it all in. This small and mighty child had led us through the valley of death, and an entire community experienced a brilliant light in the deepest darkness of loss and grief. It was terrible and beautiful (p. 3).

A home funeral provides a loving, beautiful and meaningful way of saying goodbye, unconstrained by the schedules of a church or mortuary. It also gives the surviving loved ones extra time adjust to the loss. A home funeral is also more cost efficient. An average traditional funeral costs anywhere from $3,500.00 to $7,000.00, while a home funeral and natural burial can cost less than $500.00.

A good comparison of the differences between the two kinds of funerals (home versus mortuary) was showcased in the March 2009 Smithsonian magazine in an article titled “The Surprising Satisfactions of a Home Funeral”.

Legal Rights to Home Funerals
Many people do not know is that it is legal for them to take their loved ones home (in their own car) and to keep them (if cooled) for a number of days. Currently home funeral is legal in 45 states. Also, many people do not realize that embalming is not mandatory for burial and that it is actually a dangerous toxin for the environment. (Read more on the benefits of Green Burial.)

Legally, you can take your own dead home with you as long as you get the proper permit for transporting, and follow approved procedures for cooling, and length of time before burial. Even a home burial is not illegal in some states and counties.

Home Burial
The state of Oregon is silent on this issue. Title 97.120(2) says it is actually up to each individual county as to the laws concerning home burial. Most counties ask for a certain acreage amount, a distance of at least 150’ from a water supply, and at least two feet of earth on top. Before burial, the person in charge must sign the burial-transit permit and return it within 10 days to the registration of the county in which the death occurred. The practice is generally discouraged because of the potential affect on the property value. Because the practice is not common yet, society is still uncomfortable with it. Neighbors might find it disturbing to watch someone bring a body home, hold a funeral in their home, and then bury the body in their yard. However, a number of planned “Green Burial Preserves” are currently in development throughout the country to fulfill the demand for natural burials.


REF:

Alexander, M. (2009) The Surprising Satisfactions of a Home Funeral. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Presence-of-Mind-Which-Way-Out.html

Knox, E. (2009) Crossings.

Knox, E. (1999). Resource Guide. A Manual for Home Funeral Care. Takoma Park, MD:
Crossings.

Oregon Mortuary and Cemetary Board (2009).

Roussell, J. O. (1999). Dealing with Grief: Theirs & Ours. New York: Alba House.

All content © Village Memorial. 2009-2010.

Green Departures

“Americans put 827,060 gallons of embalming fluid, 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete, 104,272 tons of steel [for caskets and vaults], 2,700 tons of copper and bronze, and 30 million board feet of hardwoods into the ground each year...the concrete alone…[is] enough to build 13,573 American houses.”
A growing trend is the practice green or natural burial, which compassionately cares for the deceased and protects the earth. However, this natural and safe method has been practiced for centuries.

Muslims wrap their dead in “white wrappings” and bury them directly onto the dirt of the grave (Jonker, 2006, p. 158). As Jonker (2006) explains, “No coffin is needed or wanted” (p. 158). The body is lowered into the grave “with shawls or lengths of cloth” and is “positioned as if sleeping” (Jonker, 2006, p. 158) with either a stone or pile of mud placed under the head for support (p. 158). The natural burial of the body in Islam (wrappings of just a shroud, no embalming and being placed directly in contact with the earth) allows for a more natural return to the earth. There is no use of unnecessary embalming fluid and coffin to slow the recycling of the body to the soil.

The Jews also bury directly in the ground, and do not allow interment in mausoleums “as this is not returning the body to the dust from whence it came” (Levine, 1997, p. 107). Additionally, like Islam, Judaism prohibits both cremation and embalming (Levine, 1997, p. 107). This law was designed to prevent destruction and or altering of the body, however it is also done for the compassion of the surviving loved ones (Levine, 1997, p. 107). Because “embalming…creates an illusion of life…[it] may hinder the bereaved from acknowledging the death of their loved one” (Levine, 1997, p. 108). These compassionate Jewish values honor the deceased, assist in the healing of loved ones and protect the planet.

Ecohumanist beliefs also support natural burial for the preservation of the planet. One of the principles shared on the Council for Secular Humanist (2009) is to “protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species.” When one considers all the pollution and waste from common contemporary burials (embalmed body in casket), one cannot ignore the significant and devastating effects upon the earth. Cullen (2006) presents some very startling statistics on contemporary burials.

“Americans put 827,060 gallons of embalming fluid, 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete, 104,272 tons of steel [for caskets and vaults], 2,700 tons of copper and bronze, and 30 million board feet of hardwoods into the ground each year...the concrete alone…[is] enough to build 13,573 American houses” (p. 52).

“Like the contents of any landfill, the embalmed body’s toxic cache escapes its host and eventually leaches into the environment, tainting surrounding soil and groundwaters” (Harris, 2007, p. 38). This happens because coffins are not leak-proof. Harris (2007) explains that the “combined body fluids, liquefied tissue, formaldehyde, bacteria, and corporeal acids…collect at the lowest spot of the casket, pooling in a…toxic soup” (p. 37). Wood caskets are porous offering minimal resistance to such toxic liquids, which can easily leak out (Harris, 2007, p. 37). While “metal caskets are more resilient…acids work to breach them as well” (Harris, 2007, p. 37). Cullen (2006) notes that green (natural) burials can “cut that waste [and pollution] dramatically” (p. 52).

Embalming and caskets are not only unnecessary, they are wasteful and harmful to the planet. Obviously the pollution of the earth and the waste of precious resources do not help to protect the purity or safety of our planet. Natural or green burials, as supported by Ecohumanists, are clearly the most ethical and compassionate methods of burial. They help protect the planet for future generations.

References:
Cullen, L. T. (2006). Remember Me. New York: Harper Collins.

Harris, M. (2007). Grave Matters. A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial. New York: Scribner.

Jonker, G. (2006). The many facets of Islam: Death, dying and disposal between orthodox rule and historical conventon, in, C.M. Parkes, P. Laungani, & B. Young (Ed.), Death and Bereavement Across Cultures (pp. 98-130) London: Routledge.

Levine, E. (2006). Jewish Views and Customs on Death, in, C.M. Parkes, P. Laungani, & B. Young (Ed.), Death and Bereavement Across Cultures (pp. 98-130) London: Routledge.

The Affirmations of Humanism: A Statement of Principles. (2009). Council for Secular Humanism. Retrieved June 2, 2009, from: http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=main&page=affirmations
All content © Village Memorial. 2009-2010.