Sepulture

Sepulture refers to the act of burying a deceased person and to the burial site itself. It denotes interment—placing a body in a grave, tomb, or other resting place—and may be used to describe cemeteries, mausolea, ossuaries, catacombs, or other sepulchral locations. The word derives from Old French sepulture and Latin sepultura, and it is often used interchangeably with burial or entombment, though it can emphasize the physical site or the act of interment.

In archaeology and anthropology, sepulchral remains and structures are studied to understand mortuary practices across cultures and periods. Common forms include inhumation (body burial) and cremation, with resulting sepulchral types such as graves, chamber tombs, mausoleums, and ossuaries. Material culture associated with sepulture—grave goods, funerary inscriptions, burial architecture—helps reveal social status, beliefs about the afterlife, and ritual sequences surrounding death.

Legal and cultural dimensions shape sepulture as well. Burial grounds are typically regulated by laws and licensing, with considerations for public health, land use, and environmental impact. Religious and cultural traditions influence how the deceased is laid to rest, the orientation and layout of graves, and ongoing cemetery management and maintenance.

Today, the term sepulture is more common in scholarly, ceremonial, or formal contexts and may be considered archaic in everyday speech. Related terms include sepulchre, tomb, grave, and interment, each carrying nuanced connotations about location, form, and ritual meaning.