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A coffin is a box used for the display and burial or cremation of a dead human body.
Some people mistakenly believe that a coffin is a tapered hexagonal or octagonal box used for a burial, and that a rectangular coffin ought to be called a "casket" instead. This is a euphemism invented by the funeral director's industry. They are all coffins, regardless of shape, and regardless of the amount of upholstery they contain.
A coffin may be buried in the ground directly, or placed in a burial vault. Some countries practice one form almost exclusively; in others it merely depends on the individual cemetery.
Other cultures that practice burial have widely different styles of coffin. In some varieties of orthodox Judaism, the coffin must be plain, made of wood, and contain no metal parts nor adornments. These coffins use wooden pegs instead of nails. In China and Japan, coffins made from the scented, decay-resistant wood of cypress, sugi, thuja and incense-cedar are in high demand. In United States of America, it was common for coffins to be made to order by carpenters until the late nineteenth century. Eventually, the manufacture of coffins became a national industry, and dealers were typically in the furniture business. The traditional, hexagonal pine coffin gave way at this time to the rectangular model. Metal, fiberglass, particle board (chipboard) and cardboard coffins are available today. While the less durable materials are usually chosen on grounds of cost, they may also be chosen out of environmental concern; cardboard coffins are generally used in woodland burials.
Coffins have not always been used in the Western world. They were formerly the prerogative of the wealthy and noble. The poor were buried in a shroud in the churchyard; the wealthy, in a coffin in the crypt of the church building itself.
Casket Industry
In the United States, a number of companies produce caskets. Some manufactures do not sell directly to the public, and only work with licensed funeral homes. In that case, the funeral home usually sells the casket to a family for a deceased person as part of the funeral services offered, and in that case the price of the casket is included in the total bill for services rendered. Often funeral homes will have a small showroom to present families with the available caskets that could be used for a deceased family member.
Other manufacturers will sell to the general public in addition to the funeral service industry. A number of stores and Internet sites have been set up to sell caskets. Costco recently made news headlines when they announced an intention to offer caskets for sale at their stores. In this case, the manufacturer sells directly to the public, or will sell the casket to the store, which then in turn sells it to the public.
Under Federal law, if a family provides a casket they purchased elsewhere, the establishment is obligated to accept the casket and use it in the services. If the casket is delivered direct to the funeral home from the manufacturer or store, they are obligated to accept delivery of the casket. The funeral home may not add any extra charges or fees to the overall bill if a family decides to purchase a casket elsewhere.
Use by the living A few eccentric individuals sleep in coffins, usually as an affectation or deliberate taboo-breaking. With the lid closed, the coffin provides thermal insulation and reduces ventilation, thus allowing the air in the coffin to warm up from body heat. This performs the same function that a blanket or duvet does in a conventional bed, but without being in direct contact with the sleeper. Some people find this arrangement more comfortable. The actress Sarah Bernhardt was reputed to sleep in a coffin, and she took her coffin with her when she toured.
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