Are there double caskets

Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. The expression "6 feet under" is a common euphemism for death. It is based on the idea that the standard depth of a grave is 6 feet. But are all the graves in a cemetery really that deep? There are a lot of theories and explanations about the belief that graves are always 6 feet deep. Some are more plausible than others. This article will discuss the possible origins of the "6 feet under" belief.

It will also reveal whether modern graves really are 6 feet deep. The idea that graves should always be 6 feet deep has been around for a long time. There is no agreement about where this idea came from. Here are a few theories about why people may have decided to bury their dead 6 feet deep. In , London officials issued a pamphlet they hoped would help stop an outbreak of the plague or Black Death. Some people think this was the origin of the 6-foot standard. The pamphlet included a section titled "Burial of the Dead.

Unfortunately, the pamphlet didn't explain the reason for the 6-foot mandate. It's possible officials believed 6 feet of soil would keep animals from digging up corpses. Londoners didn't know the plague was spread by fleas on rats, so they may have also thought deep burial would keep the disease from spreading. There are a few reasons why this probably isn't the origin of the 6-foot standard. Between and , there were an estimated , plague victims.

Many were buried in mass graves called "plague pits. The orders also didn't say in force long. This is because the outbreak quieted in after the Great London Fire. It's not likely, then, that the "6-foot requirement" had enough time to become a tradition.

While it's possible that London's plague orders created the lasting impression that graves are always 6 feet deep, it's not likely. Some people think 6 feet was just a matter of safety. Deeper graves might need bracing to prevent cave-ins. This would be especially true if the soil was sandy. The depth could have also made grave digging easier. At 6 feet, an average-sized gravedigger could still toss dirt out with a shovel.

He could also get in and out without a ladder. Grave robbery or "body snatching" was a serious problem in the early s. This was especially true in England and Scotland. Medical schools in these places needed bodies for anatomical study. Some people met the demand by digging up fresh corpses.

Cemeteries had a lot of ways to deter grave robbers, including:. People may have also buried bodies 6 feet deep to help prevent theft. There was also concern that animals might disturb graves. Burying a body 6 feet deep may have been a way to stop animals from smelling the decomposing bodies. A body buried 6 feet deep would also be safe from accidental disturbances like plowing.

The 6-foot rule might have just been a way to protect bodies. Deep burial is a practical way to deter grave robbers and animals. How Much Does Cremation Cost?

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If you're planning a burial or planning to bury cremated remains , you have a number of options in terms of the type plot you buy and the way you pay for it. While some urn gardens are simply small plots, others are much more elaborate, and cremated remains can be incorporated into the landscape, such as in a large rock, in a bench, in a fountain, or in other landscape elements.

Urn garden plots are generally much smaller than full-sized plots, and therefore may cost significantly less than a full-sized plot. Depending on the cemetery's requirements, you may need to purchase a small outer burial container for the urn. For the most part, the more plots you purchase at one time, the less each plot costs individually. When purchasing plots, take into account related costs, such as outer burial containers , headstones , and any maintenance fees that the cemetery might have.

Related Resource: Guide: Finding a Cemetery.