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FERETRUM

a medieval form of reliquary or shrine containing the sacred effigies and relics of a saint

FUNERAL COACH

A motor coach designed and used for the conveyance of the casketed remains from the place the funeral service is conducted to the cemetery. Also known as a Casket Coach.

FUNERAL ORATION

a speech given in tribute to a person or people who have recently died

GRAVE

a place where the body of a dead person or pet animal is buried, usually located in a graveyard or cemetery and may contain objects that provide clues for archaeologists about the life and culture of the time

GRAVE BACKFILL

The soil returned to the grave cut following burial. This material may contain artifacts derived from the original excavation and prior site use, deliberately placed goods or artifacts or later material. The fill may be left level with the ground or mounded.

GRAVE CUT

The excavation that formed the grave. This can vary from a shallow scraping, to removal of topsoil to a depth of 6 feet (1.8 metres), or more where a vault or burial chamber is to be constructed.

GRAVE ROBBER

A person or persons who illegally disturb a grave or crypt with the intention of stealing the remains of an individual

GRAVELINER

A lightweight version of a vault which simply keeps the grave surface from sinking in. This outside container for the casket is designed for protection and may be made of a variety or combination of materials including concrete, stainless steel, galvanized steel, copper, bronze, plastic or fiberglass.

GREEN BURIAL

A burial of remains in a designated environmentally-friendly cemetery. The remains are not embalmed, and the biodegradable casket is not placed inside a concrete vault. This type of burial is not only economically friendly, it also allows for rapid decomposition of the non-embalmed remains, and automatic recycling of the container,

INTER

To bury or place the body of a deceased individual in a grave

INTERMENT

Placing a body in a coffin or other container, in a wide range of positions, by itself or in a multiple burial, with or without personal possessions of the deceased, then lowering it in an open grave or crypt.

LAWN CRYPT

A pre-placed enclosed chamber, which is usually constructed of reinforced concrete, poured in place or precast unit installed in quantity, either side by side or multiple depth, and covered by earth or sod and also may be known as a garden crypt

LYCH

from Roman Catholicism or the Churh of England, a word meaning body or corpse, derived from Old English  

LYCHGATE

From  Roman Catholicism or the Church of England, a covered area at the entrance to the cemetery where the casket awaits the clergy before proceeding into the cemetery for proper burial

MARTYRIUM

final resting place for the remains of a martyr or saint

MAUSOLEA

more than one mausoleum or external free-standing structures, acting as both monument and place of interment, usually for individuals or family groups

MAUSOLEUM

any elaborate building or above ground structure intended as a burial place for one or any number of people, with interments being conducted within the walls and floor of the building

MEGALITHIC TOMBS

prehistoric places of interment, often for large communities, constructed of large stones and originally covered with an earthen mound

MEMENTO MORI

(Latin) A common tombstone inscription from the 15th century, translated as "Remember that you are mortal," "Remember you will die," or "Remember your death", with the purpose to remind people of their own mortality and to emphasize the vanity of earthly riches.  Surviving examples still exist in the Northeastern United States in the Colonial-era Puritan graveyards.

MEMORIAL SERVICE

A ceremony commemorating the deceased without the remains present

MONSTRANCE

a type of reliquary for holy relics which housed the items contained in jewlery, a rock crystal ,or glass capsule mounted on a rod, enabling the relic to be displayed to the faithful

MONUMENT

An upright memorial, including what used to be called a tombstone, also includes 
large structures like obelisks,  usually made from granite.

MORTICIAN

Any person who helps prepare the deceased for a funeral

NECROPHOBIA

the fear of death or phobia of dead things

NON-SEALING CASKET

A casket that does not feature an airtight closing, which allows the human remains to decompose as designed. The container that allows air molecules to pass in and out, such as a simple wooden box, allows for aerobic decomposition that results in much less noxious odor and clean skeletonization.

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