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?

Q & A: Cultural Sensitivity

We received a question recently about whether or not industry professionals should be working from cultural sensitivity charts. The question was: Would it be harmful if we worked directly from the charts?

Yes, it would be harmful to simply work from the charts because every individual is unique and holds a unique set of values that may or may not be reflected in the chart. I believe it best to ask each family, culture or patient that we meet, what his or her specific needs are for caregiving. We should always ask how we could best serve them in the most dignified and respectful way possible.

One major flaw with the charts is that they do not highlight variances and differences that exist within the culture or religion. For instance, I’ve known some Mormons who will not take caffeine in any form, others that will drink caffeinated soda but not coffee or tea, some that will accept only caffeine that is already present in foods (like chocolate), and others that drink coffee. So if the chart were to generally say, ‘caffeine not okay’ for that religion, that would be only slightly accurate and would not fit all of the variations listed above.

Just last year, the cremation of Jewish singer Amy Winehouse fueled many discussions, news articles and blog posts about the changing Jewish values. On CNN, one blog post was titled “Winehouse burial raises Jewish questions about tattoos, cremation”. On E! Online, their news article asked “Did Amy Winehouse's Funeral Violate Jewish Law?” Where Orthodox Jews practice only earth burial within 24 hours in a wooden casket with no metal fixtures, some reform Jews allow cremation. Therefore, we can never rely upon one simple answer to each culture or religion.

Basically, the cultural sensitivity charts are best used as a guideline to understanding what some people within that specific culture or religion adhere to. It is by no means an absolute guide to understanding all the people that affiliate with that culture or religion.

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
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