A considerable percentage of the population in the United States elects to be buried as the means of the final disposition of their remains after death. With that noted, although this is the intended course of the disposition of mortal remains for many people, a good percentage of the population really doesn’t know what happens to a human body after burial
Misconceptions About Embalming
Before diving further into what happens to a human body after burial, a discussion of embalming is an important preliminary matter. A persistent and fairly pervasive misperception surrounds embalming. If the proverbial man or woman on the street were to be asked whether embalming stops the decomposition process, they would respond “yes.” As much of a cliché as this is, the typical layperson would state that embalming stops the human decomposition process altogether. In reality, embalming slows significantly but does not stop decomposition.
Inasmuch as a considerable percentage of human bodies are embalmed after death, understanding the true nature of this treatment is vital. Because of the realities and limitations of embalming, the decomposition process does slowly move forward as a general rule following the burial of a human body.
The State of Human Remains in a Casket Over Time
Once a person’s embalmed body is placed into a casket and interred, a slow process carries onward that impacts the remains. The progress of this process is contingent upon immediate environmental factors, particularly the state of the atmosphere within the confined space of a casket.
Within about a half a year from burial, the skin of a deceased person in a casket begins to turn a brownish-black color. This occurs because even with embalming, blood vessels throughout a body deteriorate. This causes iron remaining in the vessels to spill out into the body. As it oxidizes, the released iron becomes brownish-black in color.
At about this same point in time, the molecular structures of the cells in a casketed body break apart. Although an unpleasant image, this results in the collapse of tissues like the skin, turning these tissues into what often is described as a “watery mush.”
The next noticeable milestone is at about the one-year mark. At this the, clothing items made of cloth on a body begin to disintegrate. Bodily fluids released during the initial year of burial cause the disintegration of clothing items made out of material like cotton. Some other types of fabric are more durable.
Nothing much happens to a casketed body during the one-year and 10-year mark. At about a decade after being placed in a casket and buried, the fat contained in a body’s buttocks and thighs turns to what is described as a soap-like substance. This substance commonly is referred to as grave wax. This occurs if the casket created a wet, low oxygen environment.
In some cases, a casket is drier inside and has less oxygen. When that occurs, at about the 10-year milestone, the remains will be on a course to mummification.
After about 50 years, all tissue is liquified. At the 80-year mark, only bones typically are left in a casket. Finally, after about a century from the date of burial, the bones will have disintegrated into dust.
Bursting Casket Incidents
In this day and age, a significant percentage of burials take place in community mausoleums at cemeteries. A persistent issue with burial in an above-ground community mausoleum is what is referred to as a bursting casket or exploding casket.
Without diving too deep into the science of it all, when a person is buried in a quality, well-sealed casket in an above ground community mausoleum, the possibility for a bursting casket exists. A sealed casket becomes something of a pressure cooker. Over time, gas accumulates inside the casket to the point that it bursts or explodes. When that happens, fluids produced as a result of decomposition end up leaking from the casket.
Presently, there exists no accurate information about the true extent of bursting caskets. Cemeteries and even funeral homes attempt to downplay the issue, even provide some false information about it in some situations.
Un-Casketed, Un-Embalmed Human Body
If a human body is exposed and not casketed or embalmed, the decomposition process presents a health hazard to any person that might come into contact with the remains. A decomposing body contains and releases what are known as pathogens. Pathogens are different types of organisms, including bacteria, that have the potential for causing illness and disease in humans.
Although a person is not likely to come upon a decomposing body, such an encounter can occur. For example, if a family member that lives alone dies alone, his or her remains might not immediately be discovered. This type of situation technically is known as an unattended death or undiscovered death. When found and depending on the length of time the remains have been decomposing, the death scene may be contaminated with harmful substances. Once the remains have been removed, a professional death scene cleanup company should be retained to remediate the situation in a safe and thorough manner.
FAQs
If insects can be excluded, a body will decompose quite slowly, because maggots are the most voracious flesh feeders. Although an exposed human body in optimum conditions can be reduced to bone in 10 days, a body that is buried 1.2 m under the ground retains most of its tissue for a year.
How long does a body last after burial? ›
However, on average, a body buried within a typical coffin usually starts to break down within a year, but takes up to a decade to fully decompose, leaving only the skeleton, Daniel Wescott, director of the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State University, told Live Science.
What happens 30 minutes after death? ›
As the blood pools, patches appear on the skin within 30 minutes of death. About two to four hours postmortem, these patches join up, creating large dark purplish areas towards the bottom of the body and lightening the skin elsewhere. This may be less apparent on darker skin. This process is called livor mortis.
What does a body look like 6 months after burial? ›
After 6 months it might be skeletal remains, or it may look very similar to the day of interment. It all depends on if embalming was performed and if so, the skill of the embalmer as well as the gravesite conditions and how they affect the casket.
What happens to a body 3 days after burial? ›
3-5 days after death — the body starts to bloat and blood-containing foam leaks from the mouth and nose. 8-10 days after death — the body turns from green to red as the blood decomposes and the organs in the abdomen accumulate gas. Several weeks after death — nails and teeth fall out.
How long does a casket last in the ground? ›
If you are looking at a long-lasting ground casket, pick a steel or metal casket. If the grave site is low on water content or moisture, metal caskets are known to last even longer, over five decades. Under favorable weather conditions, experts say that metal caskets may even last more than that – up to 80 years.
How fast do bodies decompose in coffins? ›
It is obvious that a body that's safe from natural insects or microbes found in the soil will have a longer body decomposition time. If you are wondering how long does it take for a body to decompose, then the short answer is -10 to 15 years.
How long after death does the body release poop? ›
Your muscles loosen immediately after death, releasing any strain on your bowel and bladder. As a result, most people poop and pee at death. Your skin may also sag, making it easier to see your bone structure beneath. Your temperature drops.
How long after death does the body release fluids? ›
There are four general stages of putrefaction: Putrefaction (4-10 days after death) – Autolysis occurs and gases (odor) and discoloration starts. Black putrefaction (10-20 days after death) – exposed skin turns black, bloating collapses and fluids are released from the body.
What are the first 5 minutes after death like? ›
For the first few minutes of the postmortem period, brain cells may survive. The heart can keep beating without its blood supply. A healthy liver continues breaking down alcohol. And if a technician strikes your thigh above the kneecap, your leg likely kicks, just as it did at your last reflex test with a physician.
Body positioning. Burials may be placed in a number of different positions. Bodies with the arms crossed date back to ancient cultures such as Chaldea in the 10th century BC, where the "X" symbolized their sky god.
Do graves get dug up after 100 years? ›
Today, some cemeteries rent out plots, which allows people to lease a space for up to 100 years before the grave is allowed to be recycled and reused. Many countries around the world have resorted to this process as their available land begins to fill.
How long does it take for a body to start smelling? ›
A detectable decomposition smell begins within 24-48 hours as putrefaction sets in and intensifies any time between 4-10 days, depending on the conditions. The onset of putrefaction is determined by the green discoloration on the skin near the cadaver's large intestine and/or liver.
What is the first organ to shut down when dying? ›
The brain is the first organ to begin to break down, and other organs follow suit. Living bacteria in the body, particularly in the bowels, play a major role in this decomposition process, or putrefaction. This decay produces a very potent odor, known as the smell of death.
Which organ dies first after death? ›
The brain and nerve cells require a constant supply of oxygen and will die within a few minutes, once you stop breathing. The next to go will be the heart, followed by the liver, then the kidneys and pancreas, which can last for about an hour. Skin, tendons, heart valves and corneas will still be alive after a day.
How long does a body stay good after death? ›
Refrigeration is an alternative option, which lasts longer than embalming. Morticians will keep the body in a fridge at two degrees Celsius instead of preparing the body with chemicals. However, you need to keep in mind that a refrigerated corpse will only last for three to four weeks.
How long does it take for a body to decompose in a natural burial? ›
Depending on soil type, oxygen availability, and moisture present, it takes on average 6 weeks to lose the majority of soft tissue through moisture absorption by the soil, and up to 2 years for complete decomposition. It may take up to twenty years for bones to absorb in moist soils.
How long do cemeteries keep bodies? ›
If you've considered asking, “how long do you stay buried in a cemetery?” the answer is typically 100 years or more. Plots are sold for 50 to 100 years, but it's unusual to remove anyone from the burial grounds unless the need for space requires it.
What happens to a body 10 years after being buried? ›
Decay may be stalled in many ways, like in the mummification of a body, but not prevented. When you open a casket after two months, one year, or ten years, there will be decay. When a body is in a casket for 10 years, the decomposing body fat produces Grave Wax.
What does a body look like 2 weeks after burial? ›
After two weeks, the body would typically be in a more advanced stage of decomposition as a result of bacteria and insects breaking down the tissues, with noticeable discoloration, bloating, and an overpowering odour. What does an embalmed body look like after 2 weeks? Two weeks is generally not a problem.
