96:, conceived the burial vault as a means of adding a product line to their funerary sales. As late as 1915, only 5 to 10 percent of funerals in the United States used a burial vault or liner. In the 1930s, company owner Wilbert Haase, who had an interest in Egyptian mummification, began promoting the sealed (or "waterproof") vault as a means of allegedly protecting the body from water, microbes, and vermin. The Haase company later purchased several plastics companies, and began manufacturing plastic burial vaults as well. The company dominates the American burial vault market today, with about 12 percent of all vault and liner sales.
84:
originally emerged as a means of ensuring that grave robbers could not easily access a coffin and remove valuables, clothing, or even bodies from the coffin. Early vaults were made of wood (the "rough box"), although by the middle of the 1800s brick, iron and later steel vaults were used. By the late 1800s, the fashion of burying the deceased with jewelry lost favor. However, the value of burial vaults in ensuring that the ground did not settle over graves was seen, and burial vaults began to be more widely used. By the early part of the 20th century, concrete (and, later,
20:
35:
76:
100:
the sides of the burial vault are attached to the bottom of the vault, the burial vault is generally stronger than a burial liner. Some burial vaults reverse the construction, so that only a base is placed beneath the coffin. The lid consists of the four sides and the top. These types of burial vaults allow a better seal between the lid and base.
186:
Islamic law requires only that the body be washed, anointed, and wrapped in linen for burial. Funerals must be kept simple, and no ostentation is allowed. Preferably, the body should be buried without coffin or burial vault, although such is permitted if required by law. Generally, Muslims prefer to
182:
Jewish law does not bar the use of burial vaults or liners, and their use is permitted where law or a cemetery requires them. But
Morrison David Bial argues that burial vaults are antithetical to traditional Judaism, in part because they deny the reality of death (e.g., inhibit decomposition of the
99:
A burial vault encloses a coffin on all four sides, the top, and the bottom. Modern burial vaults are lowered into the grave, and the coffin lowered into the vault. A lid is then lowered to cover the coffin and seal the vault. Modern burial vaults may be made of concrete, metal, or plastic. Because
103:
A burial liner is similar to a burial vault, but does not have a bottom. With a burial liner, the coffin is lowered directly onto the earth. The burial liner is then lowered over the coffin. Modern burial liners may also be made of concrete, metal, or plastic. Many come in a wide array of colors,
107:
Burial vaults do not prevent the decomposition of the human remains within. Vaults which are installed incorrectly and too tightly sealed may not allow gases generated by the decomposing body to escape. Pressure then builds up within the vault until the vault ruptures, causing the vault to fail.
83:
The burial vault or burial liner is designed to prevent the weight of earth or heavy cemetery maintenance equipment from collapsing the coffin beneath. Coffin collapse will cause the ground to sink and settle, marring the appearance of the cemetery and making it harder to maintain. Burial vaults
199:
A burial vault or liner is not the only solution to settling earth over the grave. Traditional burials with a casket leave a larger void and thus create more settlement when the casket decomposes or collapses. Natural or "green" burials do not use a casket, which means only minimal settling. In
91:
Although quite commonly used in many industrialized countries, the burial vault is very much a funerary item used almost exclusively in the 20th century. In the United States, the burial vault was largely unknown until the 1880s when the L.G. Haase
Manufacturing Co., which owned a cemetery in
195:
Burial vaults and liners do not decompose, and have been criticized as being environmentally unfriendly. Burial vaults and liners consumed more than 14,000 short tons (13,000 t) of steel and more than 1,636,000 short tons (1,484,000 t) of reinforced concrete in 2009.
66:
to help prevent a grave from sinking. Wooden coffins (or caskets) decompose, and often the weight of earth on top of the coffin, or the passage of heavy cemetery maintenance equipment over it, can cause the casket to collapse and the soil above it to settle.
116:
from leaching into the surrounding soil, such claims are uniformly false since the vault cannot be hermetically sealed without causing it to rupture from the pressure of decomposing gases. A truly "green" or
504:
174:
In the United States, the use of burial vaults is also decreasing, caused by a sharp rise in the number of cremations. Whereas 36 percent of all deceased were cremated in the United States in 2008, the
533:
147:
Data on the use of burial vaults and liners outside the United States is very difficult to come by, and usage rates are not known. Burial vaults and liners are almost unheard of in
124:
Modern burial vaults often come in a variety of styles, which can greatly increase the cost. Modern vaults and liners sometimes are lined on the inside with bronze, copper,
167:) are re-used after a period of years, usually 10 to 25. At that time, most of the soft body parts have decomposed, and the bones are removed to an
343:
176:
749:
Embracing the teardrops : a simple, step-by-step guide to planning a funeral that is dignified, memorable, and affordable
139:
require them. In some cases, cemeteries require the use of a burial vault or liner, although it is not a legal requirement.
822:
803:
775:
756:
714:
657:
636:
591:
570:
62:) is a container, formerly made of wood or brick but more often today made of metal or concrete, that encloses a
841:
737:
695:
676:
610:
121:
does not use embalming fluids, and does not attempt to protect the body from the soil and rapid decomposition.
534:"'Green burial': Spiritual, Environmental and Financial Factors Lead Some to Seek More Natural Burial Options"
132:
sheeting, and some vaults and liners are inscribed on the outer surface with words, scenes, or other images.
109:
183:
body) and in part because they are ostentatious and undercut the equality of all people at death.
79:
A burial vault is prepared for shipment by an employee at Clark Grave Vault, Columbus, Ohio, 1938.
561:
Barrett, Stephen; London, William M.; Kroger, Manfred; Hall, Harriett; Baratz, Robert S. (2013).
860:
164:
159:
is required in China, and is used in 90 percent of burials in Japan. They are also uncommon in
187:
have separate cemeteries due to the specific preference for burial without coffin or vault.
135:
Some jurisdictions require the use of a burial vault or burial liner. For example, several
8:
85:
28:
726:
505:"Eternally green: Woodland burials are a natural alternative to an embalmed afterlife"
837:
818:
813:
Welsh, Jon (2012). "South
Carolina". In Zimring, Carl A.; Bathje, William L. (eds.).
799:
771:
752:
733:
710:
691:
672:
653:
632:
620:
606:
587:
566:
200:
either case, the cemetery can remedy sunken graves by filling in the settled area.
108:
Although some manufacturers of burial vaults claim that their vaults are "green" (
647:
581:
129:
624:
118:
854:
796:
Does This Mean You'll See Me Naked?: Field Notes From a
Funeral Director
19:
649:
Death and Dying in
Central Appalachia: Changing Attitudes and Practices
136:
125:
436:
156:
113:
815:
Encyclopedia of
Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage
179:
forecast this to rise to 46 percent by 2015 and 59 percent by 2025.
93:
168:
361:
237:
235:
233:
231:
229:
163:. In modern Italy, burial plots (either below-ground or in wall
583:
Liberal
Judaism at Home: The Practices of Modern Reform Judaism
373:
63:
39:
75:
34:
834:
Last
Landscapes: The Architecture of the Cemetery in the West
412:
226:
160:
152:
148:
264:
262:
259:
424:
306:
304:
560:
442:
402:
400:
325:
323:
321:
319:
279:
277:
484:
472:
247:
448:
301:
214:
586:. New York: Union of American Hebrew Congregations.
397:
316:
289:
274:
385:
768:Final Rights: Reclaiming the American Way of Death
725:
669:Rites of Passage: A Guide to the Jewish Life Cycle
460:
563:Consumer Health: A Guide to Intelligent Decisions
852:
704:
379:
241:
605:. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
652:. Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois Press.
629:Encyclopedia of Death and the Human Experience
344:"What You Should Know About Exploding Caskets"
765:
603:What You Need to Know About Islam and Muslims
527:
525:
367:
690:. Lincolnwood, Ill.: NTC Publishing Group.
619:
522:
418:
112:) and prevent the toxic chemicals used in
817:. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Reference.
177:National Association of Funeral Directors
671:. Hoboken, N.J.: Ktav Publishing House.
645:
600:
478:
253:
74:
70:
33:
18:
831:
793:
784:
723:
685:
490:
430:
329:
310:
295:
283:
268:
853:
666:
454:
341:
812:
746:
709:. Amherst, N.H.: Kaleidoscope Books.
554:
406:
391:
220:
766:Slocum, Josh; Carlson, Lisa (2011).
705:Mariaca-Sullivan, Katherine (2011).
579:
531:
503:Pitz, Marylynne (January 30, 2008).
502:
466:
23:Burial vault with copper inner liner
728:The American Way of Death Revisited
208:
13:
14:
872:
798:. Naperville, Ill.: Sourcebooks.
686:Maqsood, Ruqaiyyah Waris (1994).
770:. Hinesburg, Vt.: Upper Access.
532:Wise, Rose (November 15, 2010).
342:Slocum, Josh (August 11, 2014).
16:Container that encloses a coffin
496:
335:
142:
1:
732:. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
580:Bial, Morrison David (1971).
203:
190:
88:) vaults became more common.
27:For an underground tomb, see
601:Braswell, George W. (2000).
7:
794:Webster, Robert D. (2011).
646:Crissman, James K. (1994).
38:Open burial vault awaiting
10:
877:
836:. London: Reaktion Books.
667:Isaacs, Ronald H. (1992).
26:
724:Mitford, Jessica (1998).
565:. New York: McGraw-Hill.
368:Slocum & Carlson 2011
747:Myers, Patricia (2011).
110:environmentally friendly
509:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
419:Bryant & Peck 2009
80:
43:
24:
832:Worpole, Ken (2003).
787:How To Plan A Funeral
785:Stevens, Hal (2008).
707:When a Loved One Dies
631:. Los Angeles: SAGE.
380:Mariaca-Sullivan 2011
242:Mariaca-Sullivan 2011
78:
71:Description and usage
37:
22:
789:. CemeterySpot Inc.
443:Barrett et al. 2013
421:, pp. 308–309.
370:, pp. 142–143.
348:The Washington Post
271:, pp. 141–144.
86:reinforced concrete
29:Burial vault (tomb)
621:Bryant, Clifton D.
555:General references
81:
44:
25:
433:, pp. 93–97.
223:, pp. 74–75.
50:(also known as a
868:
847:
828:
809:
790:
781:
762:
743:
731:
720:
701:
682:
663:
642:
616:
597:
576:
549:
548:
546:
544:
538:MyMissourian.com
529:
520:
519:
517:
515:
500:
494:
488:
482:
476:
470:
464:
458:
452:
446:
440:
434:
428:
422:
416:
410:
404:
395:
389:
383:
377:
371:
365:
359:
358:
356:
354:
339:
333:
327:
314:
308:
299:
293:
287:
281:
272:
266:
257:
251:
245:
239:
224:
218:
209:Inline citations
876:
875:
871:
870:
869:
867:
866:
865:
851:
850:
844:
825:
806:
778:
759:
740:
717:
698:
679:
660:
639:
627:, eds. (2009).
625:Peck, Dennis L.
613:
594:
573:
557:
552:
542:
540:
530:
523:
513:
511:
501:
497:
489:
485:
477:
473:
465:
461:
453:
449:
441:
437:
429:
425:
417:
413:
405:
398:
390:
386:
378:
374:
366:
362:
352:
350:
340:
336:
328:
317:
309:
302:
294:
290:
282:
275:
267:
260:
252:
248:
240:
227:
219:
215:
211:
206:
193:
145:
130:stainless steel
73:
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
874:
864:
863:
849:
848:
842:
829:
823:
810:
804:
791:
782:
776:
763:
757:
744:
738:
721:
715:
702:
696:
683:
677:
664:
658:
643:
637:
617:
611:
598:
592:
577:
571:
556:
553:
551:
550:
521:
495:
493:, p. 109.
483:
471:
459:
457:, p. 156.
447:
445:, p. 446.
435:
423:
411:
409:, p. 851.
396:
384:
382:, p. 123.
372:
360:
334:
315:
313:, p. 144.
300:
288:
273:
258:
256:, p. 202.
246:
225:
212:
210:
207:
205:
202:
192:
189:
144:
141:
119:natural burial
104:even stripes.
72:
69:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
873:
862:
861:Death customs
859:
858:
856:
845:
839:
835:
830:
826:
824:9781412988193
820:
816:
811:
807:
805:9781402250835
801:
797:
792:
788:
783:
779:
777:9780942679342
773:
769:
764:
760:
758:9781462872336
754:
750:
745:
741:
735:
730:
729:
722:
718:
716:9780983232414
712:
708:
703:
699:
693:
689:
684:
680:
674:
670:
665:
661:
659:9780252020612
655:
651:
650:
644:
640:
638:9781412951784
634:
630:
626:
622:
618:
614:
608:
604:
599:
595:
593:9780807400753
589:
585:
584:
578:
574:
572:9780078028489
568:
564:
559:
558:
539:
535:
528:
526:
510:
506:
499:
492:
487:
481:, p. 79.
480:
479:Braswell 2000
475:
469:, p. 97.
468:
463:
456:
451:
444:
439:
432:
427:
420:
415:
408:
403:
401:
394:, p. 75.
393:
388:
381:
376:
369:
364:
349:
345:
338:
332:, p. 51.
331:
326:
324:
322:
320:
312:
307:
305:
298:, p. 50.
297:
292:
286:, p. 36.
285:
280:
278:
270:
265:
263:
255:
254:Crissman 1994
250:
244:, p. 94.
243:
238:
236:
234:
232:
230:
222:
217:
213:
201:
197:
188:
184:
180:
178:
172:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
150:
140:
138:
133:
131:
127:
122:
120:
115:
111:
105:
101:
97:
95:
89:
87:
77:
68:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
41:
36:
30:
21:
833:
814:
795:
786:
767:
748:
727:
706:
687:
668:
648:
628:
602:
582:
562:
543:September 6,
541:. Retrieved
537:
514:September 6,
512:. Retrieved
508:
498:
491:Maqsood 1994
486:
474:
462:
450:
438:
431:Worpole 2003
426:
414:
387:
375:
363:
353:September 6,
351:. Retrieved
347:
337:
330:Stevens 2008
311:Webster 2011
296:Stevens 2008
291:
284:Mitford 1998
269:Webster 2011
249:
216:
198:
194:
185:
181:
173:
146:
134:
123:
106:
102:
98:
90:
82:
59:
55:
52:burial liner
51:
48:burial vault
47:
45:
455:Isaacs 1992
143:World usage
137:U.S. states
60:grave liner
56:grave vault
843:186189161X
739:0679450378
697:0844237469
678:0881254223
612:0805418296
407:Welsh 2012
392:Myers 2011
221:Myers 2011
204:References
191:Criticisms
126:fiberglass
467:Bial 1971
157:Cremation
114:embalming
855:Category
94:Illinois
169:ossuary
840:
821:
802:
774:
755:
736:
713:
694:
675:
656:
635:
609:
590:
569:
165:loculi
64:coffin
58:, and
42:(2006)
40:coffin
688:Islam
161:Italy
153:Japan
149:China
128:, or
838:ISBN
819:ISBN
800:ISBN
772:ISBN
753:ISBN
734:ISBN
711:ISBN
692:ISBN
673:ISBN
654:ISBN
633:ISBN
607:ISBN
588:ISBN
567:ISBN
545:2014
516:2014
355:2014
151:and
857::
751:.
623:;
536:.
524:^
507:.
399:^
346:.
318:^
303:^
276:^
261:^
228:^
171:.
155:.
54:,
46:A
846:.
827:.
808:.
780:.
761:.
742:.
719:.
700:.
681:.
662:.
641:.
615:.
596:.
575:.
547:.
518:.
357:.
31:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
