inurnment

Inurnment is the act of placing cremated remains into an urn for final disposition or temporary keeping. The term can also refer to the container that holds the cremated remains and to the site where they are placed, such as a niche in a columbarium or a cemetery grave.

After cremation, the cremated remains are typically cooled and transferred into a suitable urn. The disposition is usually documented with the necessary permits and death and cremation certificates. Inurnment may occur in a cemetery plot, a niche within a columbarium or mausoleum, or, in some cases, within a family plot or retained by the family in a keepsake or ceremonial urn. Regulations vary by jurisdiction and cemetery, and some laws govern container requirements, ownership, and maintenance.

Venues for inurnment include columbarium niches, lawn or ground burial plots with upright or flat markers, and entombment within mausoleums. Home possession of an urn is common in some cultures, but local laws and cemetery rules may limit or govern display and safety considerations. Inurnment complements other post-cremation options such as scattering of ashes or keeping the urn at home; it is distinct from interment, which refers to burial of a whole body.

Urns come in a range of materials and styles, including ceramic, metal, wood, glass, biodegradable options, and keepsake versions designed to hold only a portion of the ashes. The choice often reflects cultural traditions, religious guidelines, personal preferences, cost, and considerations of permanence and accessibility for remembrance. Inurnment thus serves as a stable, respectful method for honoring cremated remains within the regulatory and cultural context of the locale.