In fact, the open coffin culture is common in some parts of America, but not in others. Even in England, which has cultural elements similar to America, this culture does not exist. Although it is identified with America, it is also applied in different countries.
Why might the open coffin, which is strange to us and many cultures, be preferred? Doesn’t seeing a corpse make people even more upset or scared? We will explore this issue by examining the answers given by many Americans to these questions.
Coffins are very important to the American people, funeral companies have coffins worth tens of thousands of dollars.
It is possible to see all kinds of coffins here. Polished, unpolished; made of oak wood, made of pine wood; steel, bronze; on off…
The open coffins, which are our subject, have two covers, upper and lower, and the desired side can be opened. Most of the time, only the top cover is opened, the bottom cover is kept closed, and the corpse’s legs are covered with a blanket. Flowers are left on the upper part.
The desire to see the deceased for the last time is effective in the birth of this culture.
Since funeral services in America have turned into a large industry, both the coffin options and the type of organization can be very detailed. It is thought that openable coffins may have been released, as this sector offered an opportunity upon some requests at the time.
So not for any landmark or religious reason. According to what the Americans who made this choice talk about, the last goodbyes are more satisfying with the effect of seeing the deceased and it creates a relief effect on people because it helps the mourning process. It is an opportunity for those who have not seen the deceased for a long time and who cannot say goodbye to him.
This practice may not exist in our culture, but at least family members can go to the morgue and see the body for the last time. Even during the funeral washing, the relatives of the deceased can watch this moment.
So why don’t the bodies in the coffin look bad? It can even be said that they seem almost peaceful.
The reason for this is related to the fact that funeral services are carried out meticulously. The undertaker puts make-up on the corpse so that the deceased appears as peaceful as possible. If there is serious bruising, bruising, injury or fragmentation on the face, they are closed like an artist. Even the lighting in the part of the coffin is specially prepared for this.
If the corpse is in such a bad condition that it cannot be repaired, so to speak, an open coffin is not preferred. For this reason, even if a corpse is undamaged, when it is put in a closed coffin, an open coffin is preferred so that it is not thought that he died horribly, that is, the message “Look, our relative died peacefully” is wanted to be given. Relatives can also find some solace when they see the dead body of their loved ones in this way.
Those who want to see the dead among those who come to condolences can approach and look at him. The vast majority do not prefer this, of course, it is not welcome to examine the corpse for a long time and stare at it.
Those who come to look, look for a moment, avert their eyes, pray and leave. Usually these are people who have not seen the deceased for a long time.
You know when you don’t want to believe that someone is dead, but when you see their dead body, you now face this fact for sure. And this thought pushes people to this option.
Sometimes there are those who approach the death of a person with suspicion. Thanks to this open coffin, their suspicions are cleared as the corpse provides them with definitive proof.
Despite all this, some prefer closed coffins.
Because the idea of filling the body with chemicals so that others can see it as peaceful can disturb the family of the deceased. They may think that “if it was valuable to you, you would visit it while you were alive” to the requests of those who want to see it for the last time. In other words, it is not a religious or cultural obligation, it is just a preference and habit.
In addition to the difference in the open coffin, the reason for the cremation is also wondered.
Cremation is the burning of the body in a crematorium between 900-1200 degrees for 70 minutes. This culture dates back to the prehistoric period. It became widespread in the Greek peninsula and Anatolia because of the belief that the soul would rise to the sky with the cremation of the corpse. Cremations were also carried out in the Roman Empire, and the ashes of the corpse were kept in containers as they are today.
When Christianity spread, the practice of burial was returned, but at the International Medical Conference held in 1896, it was recommended to expand cremation for the health of the people and the protection of the land. With this decision, it has become a frequently preferred application even today.
The corpse thrown into the crematorium does not actually turn into ashes.
Bone fragments remain. When these parts cool, they are passed through a mechanical grinder and turned into powder. It is then placed in special containers called urns. The relatives of the deceased either keep this container or it is poured into places such as the ocean or forest, upon the will of the person.
Although it may seem that way to us, in fact, this situation cannot be said to be strange.
Because every culture has its own normals. There are many different funeral rituals in many parts of the world.
Some peoples can take the dead from the grave, dress them in clothes and show them around; some of them can perform the ceremony accompanied by dance and fun music, as you will remember in the viral videos.
The only thing that does not change in cultures is the respect shown to the funeral, all nations are united under one roof on this issue.
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