What is a burial and what is an interment, inurnment and entombment?
Spoiler: they are all simple definitions and processes that deal with the placement of one’s human remains.
Traditional cemetery burial which a decedent is placed into the ground (interment) involves these items and services:
Casket – the final resting wooden or metal bed that the decedent is placed after being embalmed, dressed and prepared by the funeral home.
Vault (in-ground) – a concrete and/or metal liner which surrounds the casket prohibits damage to the casket and memorial park landscaping due to collapsing earth.
Tomb or Crypt (above-ground) – a dedicated and sealed space within a private or shared mausoleum structure on memorial park grounds.
Grounds Services (in-ground or above-ground) – the opening and closing of the earth or tomb as well as lowering or placing the casket into the vault, or into the tomb, as well as ceremony needs such as chairs, canopies, flowers, etc.
Cremation which turns a decedent into ashes (inurnment) involves these items and services:
Urn – the decorative metal, stone, glass or wooden vase or box the decedent is placed after being cremated into ashes by the crematorium.
Columbarium – a decorative stone structure with a series of sealed niches that houses cremains on memorial park grounds or inside a private or public mausoleum.
Entombment is the above-ground burial of a casket or urn into a columbarium or mausoleum.
All of these terms, products and services change very little from their origin and are not difficult to understand and select without the hindrance of emotion that often accompany their selection at the time of need – that is to say once a loved one has died. It is well-documented that decisions made under duress are often poor and sometimes even illegal!
Please understand that by visiting this site and reading down to the bottom of this page, you have accomplished more than many already. Be proud of your initiative!
Now take the next step of meeting with a counselor to turn that initiative into a tangible action that will greatly mitigate the large financial and emotional cost to your loved ones left behind.