The most used burial option for most cultures is ground burial. In a ground burial the body is prepared (usually embalmed) and placed in a casket. A specially designated place (cemetery) digs a grave. Prior to interment, most cemeteries set a container, or vault into the earth to hold the casket. During interment the casket is lowered into the grave via a lowering device. The vault is then sealed and the grave is then filled in and re-sodded.

Above ground burial in a mausoleum has gained in popularity. A relatively new development has been so called “green” burials where the body is wrapped in a simple shroud and interred directly in the earth without a casket or vault.

There are many factors to take into account in deciding what type of burial is best for you. Religious, family and cultural traditions all play a role in deciding what is appropriate for a given family.