Casket is actually a pretty general term that refers to (historically) a box for holding jewels - a jewelry box. This is quite a fitting term then, for the box that holds the body of a friend or family member. Caskets can generally be placed into two categories: wood and metal (and cremation caskets, which will be discussed in a later post). The wood casket can be hard or softwood and made of multiple woods. They are 6' 3" long and 28" wide. Don't worry my big n' tall friends, you can get larger and longer if needed. Metal caskets are 6' 6" long and are either Ferrous or Non-Ferrous. Ferrous (like steel) caskets' thickness is measured in gauges, while Non-Ferrous (like copper or bronze) are measured in ounces per square foot. Caskets can be sealed (locked with a gasket) or non-sealed. The sealed casket is designed to keep out air, soil, and water. Frankly, while people seem to appreciate this protection against the elements, the body is forced to decompose through anaerobic means, which leads to a slimy putrefaction. Allowing air, water, and soil into the casket makes for a 'dryer' and less odoriferous transition.
But enough of the deets - a coffin is a body-holding box as well, but it is hexagonal in shape, 'bulging' at the shoulders, like you may picture Count Dracula in. Like most death-related terms, coffin became an uncomfortable term and so casket was the new euphemism because it had a more pleasant connotation. I wonder what will replace casket? In North America, chances are it is a casket, unless it's a real die-hard cowboy that makes his own 'toe-pincher' coffin. However, coffins are still used in Europe and other parts of the world and are made of the same high quality materials. To be safe, you can always say casket. A coffin can be called a casket, but a casket can't be called a coffin :)
Caskets can either have two lids, one that exposes the top half of the body, or a single lid that displays the entire body (known as half and full couch caskets) There have been many variations in fabric, material, and design throughout history, but I won't bore you with whole story. Below are examples of coffins and caskets. You can see great examples of older caskets by going to this link - these are old photos of the deceased, so enter at your own risk.
FAQ: What is a vault and why is it necessary?
A vault is an outer burial container that is placed in the grave to hold the casket and is topped with a lid. There are multiple reasons for using vaults. Environmental reasons, especially with cemeteries within city limits is one reason. Also the use of a vault can help keep this from happening during a flood. Many cemeteries require vaults to avoid the ill affects from the ground settling as old caskets decay, or to keep caskets from crushing under the weight of cemetery equipment.
A coffin from made-in-china.com and a half-couch casket from dahlcares.com
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ReplyDeleteI can't count how many times on the news I hear the word coffin used when it should be casket. I hear the mistake often when referring to U.S. service men/women...and their flag draped coffins....urggggh! It's casket!!!!
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Should I tell you what I want now, so Rhett doesn't have to decide?:)
ReplyDelete