Funeral Crypts

When a person passes away, there are many options of what should happen to their body afterwards. In many cases the deceased will have expressed their preference before their passing, but if this is not the case the decision is usually up to the surviving family to make.
One of the options available is a crypt. This is one of the more expensive options for burial, but is a popular choice with wealthy families and is also common among royal families and high-level religious members.

A crypt is a stone chamber that is created below the ground and is used to store the coffins of the deceased. Most commonly they are found under churches and cemeteries, however many wealthy families own a family crypt on their estate. Some families put the bodies of all of the deceased in the same crypt. This is a trend that was particularly popular in the late 1800’s, however it is not as commonly practiced these days.

There are many famous crypts around the world, and they provide a great resource for historians and archaeologists who are trying to piece together family histories and much more. Many ancient crypts are incredibly elaborate such as the crypt at Bayeux in France and the one at St. Peter‘s Basillica in Rome that dates back as far as the year 600. Saints and martyrs were often buried in crypts as it was the highest level of burial. Crypts are most common in the Christianity religion, however other cultures and religions have been known to use crypts to house the deceased.

Crypts are more often called tomb burial vaults these days, and are a lot smaller and less elaborate than they once were, although many royal families still have crypts dating back hundreds of years with dozens of bodies of former royals housed in them.

For people who want to have their loved one buried in a crypt or tomb but can not afford the high expenses involved, there are alternative options. It is very common for people to choose to have a burial vault or liner used in the burial process. These provide a similar service of helping to protect the casket or coffin from outside elements including the weight of the soil above it. Burial vaults come in a variety of different styles and materials. The most common and cost-effective choice is concrete or plastic, however many people choose to have metal vaults as these can be more attractive and longer lasting.

Burial liners offer protection to the coffin from being crushed by the weight of the soil, however they provide no protection from the outside elements as they only offer protection from three sides – and not from the top like in a burial vault.

If you are looking for yourself or a loved one to be buried in a crypt of burial vault, there are plenty of businesses across the USA that will be able to advise you and help you find the best options available. The first place to start is by speaking to a funeral director. When you hire a funeral director you can speak through all of your available options with them and if they can not directly help you they can put you in contact with someone who can.

Crypts are very rare in modern America especially if you don’t already have one within the family. If you choose to have a crypt built beneath your home you will need to speak to the relevant authorities including the local council to find out what the requirements are for you building one. It will also have to be organized well in advance of when you will be wanting to use it as they can require a lot of planning. You can also speak to your local church or cemetery to see if they have any crypt options. Some larger churches offer an above-ground crypt, which is often known as a mausoleum.