There's nothing wrong with keeping cremated remains at home – but because our beliefs about these remains are different, some people may look at it as inappropriate. However, cremated remains are no different than flowers, or other objects you may have in your home. You may keep them in a glass jar or a small box.
Prepare the cremains for transferring
Some cremation providers will deliver the cremains to you in a plastic bag, whereas others may provide you with a plastic container that has been sealed with a plug. If you prefer to keep your loved one's cremains in the plastic bag, you may do so.
A columbarium is an above-ground building that houses urns of cremated remains. Many cemeteries have them. They are a helpful way to store your loved one's ashes. They are safe, and it's a neutral location family members can visit anytime without needing permission.
Ashes have no expiry date
You might keep them in your home forever, or you might decide to scatter or bury them at a later date.
You can either keep the ashes in a decorative, sealed urn, bury them in a small plot or memorial site, or scatter them at a special location chosen by you or your loved one. However, you will need to ask for permission if your chosen location is on public or private property.
How long do cremated ashes last? In theory, cremated ashes can last forever. Some funeral homes have ashes from the 19th Century that are still in their urns, and archeologists have been known to discover ashes that are thousands of years old.
For some urns, it depends on your preference. Generally speaking, if the ashes are in a plastic bag or liner inside the urn, you do not need to seal the urn. In that case, sealing the urn is optional. If the ashes are not in a liner but rather poured directly into the urn, most people prefer to seal the urn.
Cremation Urns
However, even in the best conditions heat and moisture will creep in. The only damage this will do is to cause the remains to harden together and "clump" to some extent inside the urn.
According to our research, some of the most sought after locations to display urns at home are: On the mantelpiece. On a corner shelf. A closet or drawer provided by the crematorium.
During the process of cremation, the body's remaining energy is converted into heat energy, which is then distributed into the atmosphere. What little energy remains in the ashes is, again, “rest” or dormant energy.
The ashes should be in an air-tight non-metallic container – ideally just keep them in the container you received from the crematorium. If you plan to put them in an urn, then bring the urn separately for the journey, as some urns are difficult to x-ray and may not pass through security screening if they contain ashes.
However, it's important to remember that the Bible does not explicitly prohibit or endorse cremation or the keeping of ashes. Ultimately, the decision of what to do with the ashes of a loved one is a personal one, and should be made based on what feels right for the family.
While there are many variables to calculating the amount of ashes there will be after cremation, here is a simple rule of thumb: For every pound that the person weighed prior to cremation, there will be one cubic inch of cremated remains (i.e. ashes) after cremation.
You certainly can! There are several regulations governing ash spreading, but none governing ash division. Following a loved one's cremation, some families prefer to split the ashes.
A person may want to keep ashes with them or have them nearby or place them in a piece of keepsake jewelry, create a memorial diamond or a parting stone. Regardless of the reason, dividing ashes allows everyone the freedom to do what they wish with their loved one's cremated remains.
You can read more about the superstitious aspects of urns and ashes, but with few exceptions in special cases, nothing scary happens when you open an urn. Most likely, it won't even be messy because the ashes should be sealed in a protective plastic bag within the urn.
Can you get DNA from ashes? Yes. In rare cases, DNA can be extracted from cremated ashes.
Can You Get DNA From Cremated Remains? Yes. DNA testing is often done on the bodies of the dead, even after they've been cremated. The immense heat of the cremation ovens breaks down the body's organic matter, leaving bone fragments and teeth behind as they don't disintegrate during the cremation process.
While wood ashes are considered nontoxic, they contain alkaline material in the form of potassium carbonate and potassium hydroxide, often referred to as pearl potash and potash, respectively. These compounds are very soluble in water and react with water to release hydroxide ions which can produce a pH as high as 12.
Cremation occurs at such a hot temperature all micro-organisms are destroyed, and the remaining ashes are inert. After cremation there are no public health risks associated with handling ashes.
Many people also wonder, “How do you scatter ashes?” Most often you can use the vessel that houses the ashes to toss them into the air. If you are comfortable handling the ashes yourself, you may also reach in with your hands to throw them.
You generally don't need permission to scatter cremated ashes at most Australian beaches or coastlines. However, you will need to comply with local environmental protection authority guidelines.