What are Tombs?
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead, also known as a sarcophagus. Refers to any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber of varying sizes. The word is used in a broad sense to encompass a number of such types of places of interment or, occasionally, burial, including:
* Burial vaults – often made of concrete. Sealed burial vaults usually have a plastic, stainless steel or copper inner lining
* Church monuments – within a church (or tomb-style chests in a churchyard) may be places of interment, commonly stand over the grave or burial vault rather than containing the actual body
* Crypts –for interment; similar to burial vaults but usually for more general public interment
* Martyrium - final resting place for the remains of a martyr
* Mausolea (including ancient pyramids in some countries) – external free-standing structures, above ground, acting as both monument and place of interment, usually for individuals or family groups
* Megalithic tombs (including Chamber tombs) – prehistoric places of interment, often for large communities, constructed of large stones and originally covered with an earthen mound
* Sarcophagi – stone containers for bodies or coffins, often decorated and perhaps part of a monument; these may stand within religious buildings or greater tombs or mausolea
* Sepulchres – cavernous, rock-cut or stone-built (often underground) spaces for interment, such as the tombs of ancient Egypt; however, it is generally used to refer to similar Jewish or Christian structures. Tombs are very strong and help preserve bodies.
* Architectural shrines – in Christianity, an architectural shrine above a saint’s first place of burial, as opposed to a similar shrine on which stands a reliquary or feretory into which the saint’s remains have been transferred
* Other forms of archaeological ‘tombs’ such as ship burials
As indicated, tombs are generally located in or under religious buildings, such as churches, or in cemeteries or churchyards. However, they may also be found in catacombs, on private land or, in the case of early or pre-historic tombs, in what is today open landscape.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John Harris, is a licensed Cemetery Broker in the State of California. He has personally served over fifteen thousand families in preparing for cemetery and funeral services. He can be reached through his website: http://www.cemeterybroker.com
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