How Does a Cremation Work?

Cremation has been around since as early as 3000 B.C as evidenced by pottery urns found throughout that period. The methods and tools used in the cremation process have changed throughout time but the overall objective has remained the same, To turn a recently deceased person into ashes. Here at Eternal Urns we have made this article to explain cremation and what happens to your loved ones after they pass.

Do they burn the casket in a cremation?

Many people wonder what happens to the casket used to transport the deceased in a cremation.  The cremation process begins with the funeral as that is the time when a family will decide what coffin to use. This is because the coffin is actually burned and cremated alongside the body of the deceased.

How is the body prepared for cremation?

Most people believe the deceased are always embalmed, this is not always the case. The deceased are usually not embalmed unless they are to be viewed at the procession. Once the procession is finished, the coffin along with the deceased are transported to the crematorium. Before the cremation takes place, metal items such as handles on the coffin are removed. Other items such as pacemakers and jewellery are removed as well, and it is important to notify the crematorium or funeral home as pacemakers can combust inside the cremation chamber. Once the preparations are complete, they are both placed inside the chamber and cremation begins immediately. 

How hot is a cremation oven?

The cremation chamber itself is actually heated to a temperature between 800 and 1000 degrees Celsius. The chamber itself is an industrial furnace built with fire resistant bricks, and it's from these bricks that the heat necessary for cremation can occur. Once the body and coffin have been fully cremated, the cremains are left to cool. After the cooling process is completed, larger particles are ground into a fine dust and these are the ashes your family will be presented with. The ashes themselves are usually placed inside a plastic container, which is why most people decide on purchasing an urn so as to store their loved ones ashes in a more dignified vessel.

How long does the cremation process take?

Cremation itself takes up to two hours to complete, with the cooling and grinding taking the entire process around 3 hours to complete. This time can change however depending on the person's body mass, bone density and the type of coffin being used. Each crematorium and funeral home has their own procedures and policies, so it is important to check with them how long it will take to receive the ashes. You will usually receive the ashes in a plastic cremation container. These plastic cremation containers can be hard to open and will require the use of tools normally.

These are how most cremations will happen here in Australia and how the process is handled afterwards. As Australia's largest urn store, Eternal Urns has an extensive range of the best quality urns available, so check out our range today.