Traditional graves are at a depth of 6 foot / 1.82m. However, in accordance with Regulation 24 of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Regulations 2015, the minimum dept of earth cover is 750mm. The total grave depth is then determined by adding the coffin depth, or in the case of a shrouded burial, the body depth.
Bodies must be buried at a minimum depth as detailed in the Regulation (900 millimetres from the top of the coffin to the natural soil level).
The next is 'double depth', which is the middle one. It can accomodate two coffins on top of each other and is not as expensive to dig. This grave type is about 2.1 meters in depth (or 6.8 feet). This is the grave depth most people think of.
The size of a double plot is 2.75 metres (9 feet) long and 2.5 metres (8 feet) wide. A single plot is 2.75 meters (9 feet) long and 1.25 metres (4 feet) wide.
Therefore, graves were always dug six feet deep to prevent body snatchers from gaining access to the buried remains. Another issue that people were worried about was animals digging up graves. An ancient practice of burying dead people six feet underground may have helped mask the odor of decay from predators.
Is it disrespectful to walk on graves? Yes, it is disrespectful. Always walk between the headstones and avoid standing on top of a gravesite. Be considerate of other mourners.
Beginning immediately, all cemeteries in Canada are to be required to bury all bodies at a depth of eight feet rather than six.
Capacity of the grave
Graves can be for a maximum of three full earth burials, depending on ground conditions in the cemetery. The depth has to be determined with the first burial. In a dedicated cremation plot, designed solely for cremated remains, ten caskets can be interred.
For the most part, graves dug today are not 6 feet deep. For single gravesites, roughly 4 feet deep is closer to the norm. An exception is double- or even triple-depth plots. In these plots, caskets are "stacked" vertically in the same gravesite.
A double depth burial means that the cemetery buries two caskets or burial containers one on top of another in the same grave space, rather than side-by-side as usually done. A standard double depth burial is illustrated below.
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.
However, as Confucius so accurately puts it — whenever we seek revenge, it is not just that other person who suffers but also ourselves, meaning we destroy our own lives too. Hence, dig 2 graves.
Six feet also helped keep bodies out of the hands of body snatchers. Medical schools in the early 1800s bought cadavers for anatomical study and dissection, and some people supplied the demand by digging up fresh corpses. Gravesites reaching six feet helped prevent farmers from accidentally plowing up bodies.
Once a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death has been issued, a body can be buried. There are three choices of burial site: a public cemetery, a private cemetery, or private land. To bury a body on private land, the land must be greater than five hectares in area and the approval of the Local Council must be obtained.
You can import human remains into Australia for burial or cremation. They can be a biosecurity risk, so some requirements apply.
Once you have purchased a grave, your right of interment is granted in perpetuity. This means forever. If a grave has not been used after 25 years and we cannot contact you after making diligent enquiries, we may need to reclaim the specific plot to meet the needs of the community.
How deep should the hole be? The rule of thumb is to have at least 3 feet of dirt covering the top of the body. For a large dog, a 4 foot deep hole should suffice. Too shallow a grave will allow animals to dig up the remains and these remains are toxic to them.
How Long Does it Take for a Grave to Settle? Most cemeteries and councils will typically advise that it takes at least 6-12 months for a grave to settle.
By law, the standard size of a grave is as follows: An adult's grave must measure 2 300 mm in length, 900 mm in width and 2 000 mm in depth. A child's grave must measure 1 500 mm in length, 700 mm in width and 1 500 mm in depth.
Almost all caskets decompose eventually. Wicker and Plywood caskets will decompose within 5 years, while wooden caskets will decompose within several decades. Metal and fiberglass caskets can take hundreds or even thousands of years to fully decompose.
It takes between four and eight people to carry the coffin, depending on its size. Six is usually a good number. You don't have to be tall, able-bodied or particularly strong, and the role of bearer is not restricted to any particular gender or age.
Standard caskets usually weigh 160 to 220 lbs, depending on the material. They can carry a body that weighs up to 300 lbs (136 kg). Oversized caskets typically weigh 220 to 280 lbs (100 to 113 kg) and have a weight capacity of around 500 lbs.
The oldest burials previously unearthed, found in the Middle East and Africa, contained the remains of Homo sapiens – and were around 100,000 years old. Those found in South Africa by the research team led by Berger, whose previous announcements have been controversial, date back to at least 200,000 BC.
Burial respects the cycle of nature, and our bodies give back, to the Earth that gave so much to us. Burial is calm, natural, and respectful. Cremation is a loud, disgusting, and violent procedure to the bodies of our loved ones. If ashes are scattered, there is no physical memorial to the dead.
Regulations now specify that there must be a layer of earth of at least six inches between each coffin in a grave and that there must be at least three feet (sometimes two feet) between the final coffin and the surface.