Cremation Process

Cremations

As a new millennium begins, many people are choosing to return to a custom as old as the earliest recorded history. Cremation dates back to the Stone Age when it was practiced in Europe and the Near East. By the time of the Roman Empire -- 27 B.C. to 395 A.D. -- cremation was widely practiced, and cremated remains were generally stored in elaborate urns, according to the Cremation Association of North America.

While, cremations are more common in Western Europe and Japan than in North America, the number of people in the United States and Canada selecting cremation has risen significantly during the past few years.

Cremation Today

Today, cremation is the process of reducing the body to bone fragments through the application of intense heat. The body, usually in a casket or some other container, is placed in a cremation chamber where applied heat reduces the casket and body to ashes and bone fragments weighing from three to seven pounds for an average adult. The temperature may reach as high as 1700 degrees F and the process can take from 1 1/2 to 2 hours. After several hours cooling, ashes and bone fragments are separated from non-combustible materials such as bridgework and casket hinges.

The cremated remains, sometimes known as "cremains" are then reduced in size so they can be placed into a small temporary container, usually made of plastic. If a permanent container for the cremains, called an urn, has already been selected from the funeral director or crematory, the cremains can then be sealed inside and made ready for burial or some other final disposition.
As long as health regulations are observed, embalming is not required for the process of cremation. Nevertheless, if the surviving family members desire a public funeral, with the body present and the casket open, then embalming becomes necessary.

If there is an immediate cremation, a memorial service is suggested. Interment of the cremated remains can follow the memorial service.

Ceremonies and Cremation

Services or ceremonies may be conducted when cremation is chosen. Cremation does not limit choices, but increases the options available to you. It in no way eliminates a funeral. Optional services may precede or follow the actual cremation. Prior to the cremation there may be a visitation and/or funeral ceremony with the casketed body present.  If a ceremony or service is held following the cremation, the receptacle containing the cremated remains may take a place of prominence.  This receptacle is most commonly an urn, which is taken to its final resting place following the ceremony.

Regardless of whether the cremation precedes or follows the funeral, the funeral service should be tailored to benefit the living.  Viewing the body of the deceased can help bereaved persons begin to overcome grief by more readily accepting the fact that a death has occurred. Funeral ceremonies also have value in offering family and friends an opportunity to honor their loved one and it gives them an opportunity to remember.

Personal Touches

A service, such as a memorial service that recognizes that a person has lived and has now died can be helpful to family members and friends if there is something present such as an object that recalls an interest or hobby of the deceased or a group of pictures taken throughout many years.  Highlights of one's occupation or ethnic background can hold special meaning for those present because of the remembering that is stimulated.   In this way, friends and family may reflect on a loved one's life, as well as his or her death.

A memorial service is not unlike other ceremonies that distinguish our lives. Baptisms, graduations, bar mitzvahs, and weddings all serve to recognize a significant event in a person's life. The funeral ceremony provides acknowledgement of a person's life and offers loved ones a chance to say a last goodbye.

The type of memorialization usually influences the decision regarding final disposition of cremated remains. Just as ceremonies offer value to the living, so does establishing a permanent memorial. It serves as a focal point for the remembrance of a loved one and can help in overcoming grief,

Usually cremated remains are placed in some type of permanent receptacle or memorial urn before being committed to a final resting place.  The urn can be buried in a family plot or urn garden.  A marker or headstone may be used to mark the site. Sometimes the urn is kept in the home.  The urn can also be placed in a memorial niche at a cemetery or church where it may be viewed through a protective glass or sealed behind a memorial plaque.

Some cemeteries have special gardens where cremated remains may be scattered. In areas where it is permitted by law, cremated remains may be scattered over land or water. However, this decision should be carefully considered because the act of scattering remains is an irreversible decision.  If no permanent memorial site is established, survivors may later experience regret, feeling that the bond is broken forever.  The emotional value of establishing a permanent memorial site is worthy of consideration.  It might also be possible to plant a tree or flowers in a significant place to serve as a memorial to the loved one who has died.

Costs of Cremation

Costs for cremation services vary somewhat from region to region and according to the type of services employed. Memorial services, like anything else, become more expensive as they grow more elaborate. They can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Local customs that affect demand for the availability of facilities and services may also have an influence on cost. Other factors affecting cost include the choice of cremation casket or container, the selection of a memorial urn, and the form of memorialization.

Most crematories require a closed container to protect the health of operators and for the dignity of the deceased. There are many inexpensive cremation caskets and containers from which to choose. A popular choice is a hardwood casket, suitable for cremation and for ceremonies prior to the cremation.  In addition to fine hardwood caskets, minimum containers made of cardboard or particleboard are also available. Cremation caskets and container costs will vary according to the materials used and designs selected. Likewise, memorial urns will vary in price. Urns are made from a variety of materials including bronze and wood and other materials, such as ceramic.