Why bury 6 feet down

If so, let us know by emailing us at bigquestions mentalfloss. BY Matt Soniak. This article originally appeared in Big Questions death History News Origins science. In fact, there can be a requirement for a shallow grave — if the water table is high, as there is a need for at least one metre of soil between the water table and the bottom of the grave.

In fact, many graves today are dug far deeper than six feet, as coffins are often stacked sometimes three deep in a single plot to save space, or reuse a plot after a suitable period of time. Many more people today will be cremated as opposed to buried, and there is government advice that at times of high death rates that cremation should be promoted as an alternative to burial simply to cope with numbers.

And there there is the rise of the green burial where people can be buried in a way that encourages decomposition into the soil for the benefit of the local plants. However, there is one option to have a super shallow grave — and that is to donate your body to forensic science, and the body will be buried in the sort of shallow graves used by murderers, or not at all, so that science can study decomposition, and use that knowledge to help solve crimes in the future.

You wont be six feet deep, but your last act as a human would be a gift of science to future generations. The regulations vary from state to state. Eco-friendly burials are on the rise. When doing their end-of-life planning , some are choosing not to be embalmed or placed in a vault. In fact, some people wish to be buried in a shallow grave because they want the decomposition of their bodies to benefit the surrounding trees and bushes.

If bodies are buried too deep, they may not decompose as quickly. An eco-friendly burial would be at the depth where there are the most active bacteria and insects in the soil. As more research on grave depth is completed, expect to see more discussions of burial laws and grave depths across the country.

As you consider your funeral wishes , research burial grave depths in your area. Even though most would think that the legal requirement is six-feet-deep, most areas permit much shallower graves. Regardless if you choose to be buried or cremated, make your end-of-life desires known to your family. Tell them if you want an eco-friendly burial. Pick the music you want to have played at your services.

Choose the dishes you want to be served at the repast for the funeral. Finally, research the cost of burial plots in your area. You may want to ask how deep your body will be laid to rest while you are doing the research.