preburial

Preburial is the period and set of practices surrounding a death that occur before a body is buried or cremated. It includes the custody and transfer of the body to a funeral or mortuary facility, documentation such as death certificates and disposition permits, and arrangements for the next of kin. It also covers the preparation of the body and logistical steps that make burial or cremation possible, such as transportation, storage, and the selection of a casket or urn.

Body preparation may involve washing, dressing, and, depending on cultural and legal rules, embalming to delay decomposition for viewing or to meet funeral home standards. Some traditions require rapid burial with little or no body manipulation; others accept or require embalming and open-casket viewing. Religious practices influence whether embalming is permitted, whether bodies are washed or clothed, and whether viewing is customary.

During the preburial phase, families may hold wakes or visitations to mourn and gather with the deceased before interment. Legal processes—such as notifying authorities, issuing a death certificate, and securing permits—often occur in this period. Health and safety considerations also apply in handling remains, particularly in hospital or morgue settings and when an autopsy is performed.

Preburial practices are highly diverse across cultures and religions, reflecting beliefs about the afterlife, the body, and the responsibilities of survivors. In some systems, rapid burial is emphasized; in others, extended viewing and embalming are common. The term is primarily used in mortuary science, funeral service, and cultural anthropology.

See also: Burial, Funeral, Embalming, Wakes, Morgue, Autopsy.