What Are Crypts, Mausoleums & Tombs?
Crypts, mausoleums and tombs are different kinds of burial chambers that have been used by many cultures across the globe for hundreds of years. Though all of these places serve the same purpose, each has its own characteristics. Each of these terms describes a separate, safe place for the remains of the deceased to be stored permanently and visited by friends and family members.
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Crypts
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Crypts are defined as underground vaults or chambers used exclusively as a burial place for humans. Crypts are often cellar-like spaces built beneath churches, and these burial chambers sometimes serve as a secondary chapel or place of worship. Sometimes described as "catacombs," crypts are often characterized by a large room or series or rooms with many recesses for graves carved out of the walls.
Mausoleums
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The term "mausoleum" describes a large, stately tomb, often built above ground, whose sole purpose is to house the remains of the dead. Some mausoleums accommodate the remains of just one person, but others are serve the burial needs of a group of people or family. Mausoleums are often built separately from a home or church, but some are incorporated into buildings or built onto existing structures.
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Tombs
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A tomb is any place that serves as a grave for one person or group of people. The site of entombment may be above or below ground, marked or unmarked to be called a tomb. The word "tomb" derives from the Late Latin word "tumba," which means burial mound. While these gravesites are often characterized by a marker or stone in modern times, the term "tomb" has been used historically to describe any final resting place of the deceased.
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References
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