About Funerary Urns

About Funerary Urns thumbnail
About Funerary Urns

Funerary urns, or vase-like vessels made to hold to ashes of a deceased individual after cremation, have a rich history that continues today. In fact, cremation is becoming more popular in modern times.

  1. History

    • Scholars pinpoint the beginning of the practice of cremation to around 3000 B.C. in Europe. Some of the earliest urns were discovered in Western Russia.

    Features

    • Ancient urns featured illustrations of animals, crowns and weapons. Today, urns range from spare and unillustrated to highly decorative.

    Fun Fact

    • Though urns have been around for centuries, the funerary urn wasn't patented until 1997, by Richard Burch.

    Modern Urns

    • Today, contemporary artists are making highly personalized urns that are more like sculptures than pottery.

    Types

    • Funerary urns are incredibly varied. For example, during the Three Kingdoms and Jin periods in China, urns were called "hunping" and decorated with images of beasts and Buddha. In Bavarian tradition, urns held the hearts of deceased kings.

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References

Resources

  • Photo Credit old urn image by Pat Lalli from Fotolia.com

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