entombing

Entombing, or entombment, is the act of placing a deceased person inside a tomb, crypt, mausoleum, or other sealed enclosure as a form of burial. It emphasizes housing the body within a dedicated chamber rather than interring it directly in the ground or cremating the remains.

Typically, entombment follows a funeral or memorial service and may involve transporting the body in a coffin or sarcophagus to a tomb chamber. The enclosure is often sealed and may bear a memorial inscription. Practices vary widely by culture and religion, reflecting beliefs about the afterlife, remembrance, and family ownership of burial rights.

Historically, tomb-based burials have appeared in many civilizations: ancient Egypt built monumental tombs and tomb chambers; medieval Europe used tombs within churches; modern systems include above-ground mausoleums, crypts, and private family tombs. Entombment can serve purposes of monumentality, protection from the elements, and ongoing commemoration, though it requires ongoing maintenance, property ownership, and legal compliance with cemetery rules.

Entombing is one form of interment; others include in-ground burial and cremation. The term can also be used metaphorically to describe sealing something away or preserving it for posterity. In cemeteries and archaeological contexts, entombment is a recognized method of preserving remains within a controlled structure.