The author, a mortician since 2004, has been tattooing their hands since returning to the industry after a brief period. They have been hired by two reputable companies and have not had any issues with their tattoos. Some morticians may have no issue with tattoos, while others require them to be covered on the job. It is up to the mortician to decide if they are comfortable with tattoos.
To find a willing funeral home, it may be expensive, but there are even “tattoo recovery kits” for those who want to. A labor arbitrator ruled that employers can’t deny workers the right to free expression by restricting visible tattoos and piercings. Over the course of a lifetime, some people can spend thousands inking their bodies. One mortician is now offering a controversial service to turn tattoos into “fine art”.
In Oregon, every job they’ve had working at funeral homes has required them to remove piercings and cover their tattoos. Tattoos, once seen as taboo in the funeral industry, are now embraced as a form of self-expression and individuality among team members. Many tattoo artists feel people have often not given enough thought to the consequences of facial art and, therefore, turn people away. A Canadian labor arbitrator ruled in favor of visible tattoos and piercings for funeral home employees, saying one funeral home chain’s ban was a ban.
The author’s experience with tattoos highlights the importance of appearance, attitude about work schedule, and a true misunderstanding of what funeral directors should look like. Hide all crazy tattoos and piercings, and consider shave your beard and cut your hair.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Visible Tattoos as a funeral director? : r/askfuneraldirectors | Just interested in ya’lls thoughts on visible tattoos in the funeral industry. I’ve been a mortician since 2004 (even owned my own funeral home for a bit) | reddit.com |
| To those with an interest in mortuary science, what would … | The dress code is pulled straight from the 1950’s. ANY visible tattoos almost assuredly bar you from employment. | quora.com |
📹 Can I Keep My Parents’ Skulls & Tattoos?
I’ve got a bone to pick. Thank you Patron deathlings, who make this all possible! http://www.patreon.com/thegooddeath ***WAYS …
What Is The Highest Paying Job At A Funeral Home?
In the funeral industry, several high-paying professional roles are available, including Funeral Directors, Embalmers, Cemetery Caretakers, and Funeral Arrangers. The salary range for a Funeral Director is approximately $52, 500 to $76, 000 annually, while Embalmers earn between $41, 000 and $58, 000. Cemetery Caretakers and Funeral Arrangers also have respectable salaries, ranging from $42, 500 to $50, 500, and $44, 000 to $50, 000, respectively. Some positions in the industry, such as Funeral Director and Embalmer, can collectively reach an earning potential of up to $76, 000 a year.
The average annual salary for the entire funeral profession was reported to be around $91, 530, with top earners making upwards of $156, 940. The demand for services performed by Funeral Attendants, essential for setting up and assisting in services, reflects a national average salary of $42, 369 per year. Minnesota stands as the highest paying state for morticians and funeral directors, with an average annual salary of $76, 520.
Funeral home managers earn a median salary exceeding $74, 000 annually and are responsible for overseeing all operations within the funeral home. With a median annual wage of $48, 950, morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers contribute to this vital industry as well.
In detail, Funeral Directors typically earn around $66, 093 per year in the U. S. By 2020, Funeral Attendants had an average annual wage of approximately $31, 120, amounting to about $14. 96 per hour. Overall, while perceptions exist around lower pay in certain sectors, opportunities within the funeral services profession can be lucrative, reflecting an essential service provided during difficult times.
Do Morticians Handle Corpses?
Morticians play a critical role in managing corpses, which poses potential risks of infection and disease, albeit infrequently. To mitigate these risks, they require thorough training and appropriate equipment. Continued education in afterlife care is also essential for maintaining their knowledge. Interestingly, after death, hair and nails continue to grow, a phenomenon that raises many questions about post-mortem care. Morticians address these inquiries, shedding light on funeral home operations.
While morticians typically dress the body, families select the clothing reflecting their preferences. Some morticians report that bodies can exhibit movement or make noises during preparations, an unexpected occurrence they experience. Although there remains some confusion regarding the specifics of their duties, morticians are responsible for retrieving the deceased from hospitals or homes and transporting them to the mortuary. They also provide support and counseling to grieving families, facilitating the memorialization process.
In addition to dressing and embalming, morticians handle detailed funeral arrangements, ensuring that every aspect aligns with the family's wishes. If necessary, they may manually place smaller bodies into caskets. Many professionals in this industry find comfort around the deceased, often feeling more at ease working with them than with the living. Typically, a mortician’s responsibilities encompass embalming, dressing, cosmetizing, and restorative work across various locations.
Ultimately, the mortuary process involves meticulous organization, ensuring that the deceased is respectfully prepared for their final journey, whether that involves a traditional burial or cremation. Continuous updates to mortuary records are crucial for efficient service delivery to families during their time of loss.
What Morticians Don T Tell You?
When dealing with funeral homes, there are several important things to keep in mind that they may not readily disclose. First and foremost, while pre-planning is advisable, refrain from pre-paying for services as it could risk losing your funds should the funeral home face financial issues.
One option to consider is renting a cremation urn or casket for memorial services instead of purchasing one outright; this can save significant money. Additionally, many low-cost options for caskets and urns are available online, often at prices much lower than those offered by funeral homes, which tend to keep these less expensive options hidden away.
Funeral directors are often seen as shady, but the majority are simply ordinary people doing an emotionally taxing job. Despite their professionalism, there are aspects of their work that aren't shared with families. For instance, while they provide a valuable service, be aware that certain practices, like embalming, may not be necessary based on individual circumstances.
It's essential to understand that a body will naturally decompose, regardless of embalming methods. If you've opted for direct cremation, know that there is no need for a casket. Moreover, many funeral homes may hidden fees and additional charges, so scrutinizing contracts is vital.
Importantly, veterans may be entitled to special considerations and benefits, which some families may not be aware of. Purchasing caskets from retailers like Walmart or Costco is also permissible, and funeral homes cannot legally impose fees for using these independently sourced items.
In conclusion, being well-informed about funeral practices and your options can empower you to make better decisions, allowing you to manage costs effectively and avoid unnecessary pressures from funeral service providers.
How Hard Is It To Become A Mortician?
In the United States, aspiring morticians generally need to obtain a minimum of an associate degree in funeral service or mortuary science, which typically takes about two years to complete. Following graduation, they usually undergo an apprenticeship lasting from one to three years. After completing their apprenticeship, candidates must pass a licensure exam to officially become licensed morticians. The educational path may vary: while an associate degree is sufficient in many states, others may require a bachelor’s degree, extending the educational timeline to four years.
To pursue a career as a mortician, one should take several key steps: first, complete an accredited program in mortuary science; second, gain valuable hands-on experience through internships at local funeral homes; third, secure a funeral service license; and finally, prepare a concise resume to apply for positions in the field. Having a high school diploma or GED certificate and being at least 18 years old are basic prerequisites.
The path to becoming a mortician demands a blend of compassion, business acumen, and strong communication skills, as the work can involve long hours, typically a full 40-hour week. Additionally, the occupation requires high emotional resilience and dedication, given the nature of the work in dealing with grieving families.
While entering the field entails several years of education, training, and practical experience, it is ultimately a meaningful career choice. Morticians play a vital role in their communities, and the profession offers rewarding opportunities to support families during difficult times. Overall, becoming a mortician is a significant commitment, involving structured education, apprenticeship experience, and the acquisition of a state license.
What Certifications Should A Mortician Have?
To become a mortician, obtaining relevant certifications such as Certified Crematory Operator, Certified Funeral Service Practitioner, or Certified Preplanning Consultant can be beneficial. Note that these certifications are not affiliated with Indeed. Required qualifications typically include at least an associate's degree in Mortuary Science from an accredited institution, though many employers recommend a Bachelor's degree. General steps to becoming a mortician involve completing an accredited funeral service program, passing state or national board exams, and completing an internship lasting one to three years.
Prospective morticians should check state-specific requirements, as these can differ widely. Among standard prerequisites, individuals usually need to be at least 21 years old, possess a high school diploma or GED, and complete a two-year associate degree in mortuary science. Coursework at an accredited mortuary school recognized by the American Board of Funeral Service generally covers subjects like embalming techniques, restorative art, anatomy, and pathology.
Most states mandate funeral service practitioners to have undergone postsecondary training in mortuary science, which can range from nine months to four years depending on state regulations. In addition, securing a funeral service license is critical.
Working in funeral homes or crematoriums, morticians handle various responsibilities including coordinating memorial services, managing paperwork like death certificates, ordering caskets, and caring for human remains. Obtaining certifications, such as through the NFDA Cremation Certification Program, is also essential for those involved in offering cremation services. Graduates of mortuary science programs are equipped with the skills necessary to support families through the funeral planning process.
What Does A Mortician Do?
Morticians, also known as funeral directors or undertakers, play a vital role in managing the details of funerals, burials, and cremations for deceased individuals and their families. They are trained professionals responsible for embalming, organizing funeral services, and providing grief support to bereaved families. Their duties encompass preparing the deceased for burial or cremation, which involves transporting, dressing, and cosmetically enhancing the body to ensure it is presentable for viewings.
In addition to logistical responsibilities, morticians assist families in understanding their options with respect to funeral arrangements, coordinating various elements like religious services, obituaries, and legal documentation. By guiding families through the complexities of afterlife planning, morticians facilitate a meaningful and respectful farewell for loved ones.
Morticians must possess specific skills and knowledge, including empathy, organization, and communication. They navigate the sensitive nature of their work with patience and compassion, helping families cope with loss during a profoundly challenging time.
To become a mortician, one generally follows a series of educational and training steps, including obtaining a degree in mortuary science and completing an apprenticeship. As professionals dedicated to honoring the memories of the deceased while offering support to grieving families, morticians significantly contribute to the funeral industry, ensuring that each service is conducted respectfully and with care.
Their responsibilities extend beyond mere logistics to encompass emotional support and education for families during their time of loss. Overall, morticians serve as essential figures in managing the final rites and tributes that honor departed individuals.
What Are The Cons Of Being A Mortician?
Being a mortician, or funeral director, involves providing support and comfort during some of life's most challenging moments, as they encounter profound sadness while managing their own emotions. The profession demands long hours and an irregular schedule, often requiring work nights and weekends, which can disrupt personal life and lead to burnout. Despite these challenges, numerous individuals are drawn to this field, especially given the low educational requirements—only minimal age restrictions apply to enter the profession.
However, there are considerable emotional challenges involved. Morticians regularly face death and must navigate the emotional strain that comes with it. Not every death is peaceful, exposing directors to potentially distressing situations. The unpredictability of preparing each unique body for funerals or cremations adds another layer of difficulty to the job.
On the positive side, many morticians find their work fulfilling, as they offer invaluable support during times of loss, providing comfort to grieving families. This role not only requires ethical integrity but also financial acumen to assist families in managing costs associated with funerals.
Working as a mortician entails physical demands as well. The job can be labor-intensive, which may lead to physical strain due to lifting and exposure to various substances. Additionally, the emotional toll and the potential for spiritual unease might deter some individuals from pursuing this career.
Ultimately, aspiring morticians must carefully weigh the rewards of comfort and closure they provide against the emotional and physical challenges they will face. Balancing their professional responsibilities with personal life can be difficult, leading many to seek out flexible schedules or part-time opportunities to maintain a better work-life balance amidst the demands of the profession.
How Much Do Morticians Make The Highest Paid?
In California, the salary for morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors varies widely. The top earners in this field make an annual salary of $94, 742, translating to a monthly pay of $7, 895. The 75th percentile earns $57, 200 annually ($4, 766 monthly), while the average salary is around $52, 474 per year ($4, 372 monthly). At the lower end, the 25th percentile has a salary of $35, 500 annually ($2, 958 monthly).
Minnesota is noted as the highest paying state for morticians with an annual salary of $76, 520, closely followed by North Dakota at $75, 270. The median annual wage for the profession was reported at $51, 030 in May 2023, with an expected job growth of 4 percent from 2023 to 2033.
In India, the average salary for funeral directors corresponds to ₹31, 63, 486 annually, with bonuses averaging ₹1, 84, 748. Morticians in the U. S. have salaries typically ranging from $48, 694 to $85, 144.
The average salary for a mortician in the U. S. sits around $52, 130 per year ($25. 06 hourly), with the best-paying states, including Delaware, reporting averages of $59, 777. Data indicates that the estimated total pay for morticians averages $76, 210 annually with hourly pay ranging from $12. 26 to $27. 64. Those just starting in the profession can expect an entry salary of approximately $38, 750, with potential for earnings exceeding $75, 690. The average salary for Funeral Directors is noted at $66, 093 per year in the U. S.
Is It Hard To Become A Mortician?
In the United States, to become a mortician, individuals typically need to obtain a minimum of an associate degree in funeral service or mortuary science, which takes approximately two years to complete. Following graduation, it is common for aspiring morticians to undergo an apprenticeship lasting one to three years. In order to practice, candidates must also pass a licensing exam, as most states require additional licensing to ensure that professionals possess the requisite knowledge and skills to effectively support clients during difficult times.
While the educational path to becoming a mortician is generally shorter compared to other professions, this may appeal to those looking to enter the workforce without incurring extensive education costs. It is important to note, however, that passing the National Board Exam (NBE) can be particularly challenging. To enhance their employment prospects, aspiring morticians are encouraged to strive for excellence and continuously work on their skills.
Being a mortician involves assisting individuals during some of the most challenging moments of their lives, necessitating a strong commitment to patience, compassion, and dedication. Although the profession has its challenges, there are also significant rewards for those who have the capability and heart for the role. Required qualifications for morticians can vary significantly among states, generally calling for either an associate or bachelor's degree in funeral service or mortuary science, alongside state licensure.
To embark on this career, candidates typically pursue an accredited mortuary science program, gain practical experience through internships at funeral homes, and prepare a concise resume highlighting their qualifications. As the role demands a great deal of emotional resilience, candidates should expect a mentally and physically demanding work environment, which can lead to high burnout rates.
Typically, individuals must be at least 21 years old and possess a high school diploma or GED to enter the field. The journey to becoming a mortician includes completing collegiate-level studies in funeral service and meeting specific state requirements. Proper utilization of available resources, guidance from instructors, and a commitment to personal development are key to success in this profession. Prospective morticians should carefully evaluate if this rewarding career aligns with their personal and professional aspirations.
Can You Have Piercings As A Mortician?
To pursue a career as a mortician or embalmer, obtaining a crematory operator license is essential. The funeral industry maintains conservative standards regarding appearance, particularly regarding facial piercings and unconventional hairstyles. Many funeral homes prohibit visible facial piercings, even if concealed with retainers, and may be unwilling to hire individuals with such piercings. If you have multiple facial piercings (such as a septum or labret), it’s crucial to research potential employers' policies, as some funeral homes enforce strict grooming standards—requiring no visible tattoos or piercings to maintain a professional image.
Morticians, also known as funeral directors or undertakers, are tasked with coordinating funeral services and providing support to grieving families. While some employers are lenient about tattoos and piercings, others expect complete concealment. A significant ruling in Canada recently favored employees' rights to express themselves through visible tattoos and piercings, challenging the practices of some funeral home chains like Dignity Memorial, which enforced strict bans.
It's vital to navigate the industry's expectations carefully. You may find firms that are more accepting of personal expression after gaining experience, but initial job searches might be limited if you're visibly adorned. If you’re committed to becoming an embalmer with piercings, you may need to cover them for hygiene reasons during post-mortem procedures.
Overall, while the industry is evolving and opinions differ, awareness of local practices is crucial. Understanding the balance between personal identity and professional expectations will significantly enhance your job prospects in the mortuary field.
📹 You guys killed it again #tattooartist #tattooed #tattoos #morbid #mortician
My 3rd-great grandmother was so distraught over the death of her youngest daughter, Olive(age 11, we believe, likely from smallpox) that she cut the child’s long hair off and meticulously fashioned it into a cluster of tiny braided flowers connected with wire to a clip, which she wore in her own hair always thereafter, and to her grave. She made many similar hair items for friends and ladies in her church in the years after the Civil War.
I’ll never forget the night at the dinner table when my sweet little 6 year old son casually asked if he could have my skull after I died!! My husband and daughter nearly choked. He said he wanted to keep it in the house so I could still be around and thought of. It was actually really sweet and I wrote it in to my death wishes. Hopefully it is legalized by then and they can just give it to him
So, my grandmother was found dead in her apartment last week. I want to thank you for your page. I have anxiety and limited delusions around death, so spending months slowly normalizing death and building myself towards death positivity has let me mourn my grandma, but also think about what happened without having a total breakdown. So thank you.
Oh yeah, the Chinese pauper bones. I remember when I studied anthropology, we had this one small female skeletton in the lab, and one of the students one day asked the professor half-jokingly if he knew who that skeletton used to be. He looked that student dead in the eye and said: “Well, considering the amalgam-filled molars and how petite she was, and that she’s been here since about 1970 – she’s probably from the Vietnam war. We used to get a lot of Vietnam war victims in the 70s.” Complete silence in the room. It was some time before anyone laughed again in that seminar.
When my mom died my brother and I were discussing cremation and the funeral director asked if we had plans for spreading her ashes. My brother said he might sprinkle over the treetops out of an airplane. The director warned us that any moisture that makes contact with the ashes will turn it into a solid heavy brick, which if dropped from a plane, well, could have bad results if anyone on the ground was to receive impact. He apologized because he chuckled a little while explaining that scenario.
I live in Austria and there’s a town named Hallstatt near me with a long tradition of painting beautiful flower crowns and similar ornamental decorations on the skulls of the dead. This tradition apparently started because the town is located in a valley surrounded by tall mountains so there’s no space to bury the dead bodies. So they just keep their decorated skulls in a crypt instead. Long story short, I’d really love for my skull to be in that crypt one day, flower crown and all.
I had a bio teacher in high school who took over the responsibilities of a skeleton that the police found in an abandoned house. She could use the skeleton for teaching but had to sign paperwork saying that when she was done using it for educational reasons she would have it properly buried. She never had a problem with this because she said that when she was done teaching there would be another teacher somewhere in the state who would be willing to accept the responsibility for the skeleton and use it for educational Purposes. The idea was that the skeleton would always have burial rights protected and at the ready, but that the skeleton would be used for educational purposes -AKA, leapfrogging through educational protectors”, for a very very very long time. Seton Catholic Central High School, 1990, Mrs. Dale Megley.
So I know that the law says I can’t have organs harvested from my parent’s corpse if they said no (or I believe merely even if they didn’t say yes). So. Could that be the way? If my dad were to say “it is my will that my bleached skull remains with my family and for my children to care for as they choose.”… would that protect the funeral homes and others from “abuse of a corpse” charges? (my dad is genuinely asking. He says he’d do it in the condition that it’d be a happy reminder for us, and that at all times his skull would be adorned with one thing. A fake mustache, silly glasses, a tiny tophat, etc… Which is THE MOST my dad thing I’ve ever heard.)
I feel like if a person wants to keep the skull of a loved one, the best way to go about it would be to have permission from the person who is… y’know. Using the skull? Put it in a will. If we can donate our bodies to science where they can be poked, prodded, tested on, dissected, and treated in all kinds of ways, I don’t see why a person couldn’t will their own skull to a loved one (with both parties being okay with the matter, of course). Maybe with a note of “Upon the death of the recipient, my skull is to be (insert request here for burial/cremation/etc).”
So fun story.. When My mom was a kid they had this skull in their grandparents attic they thought was fake, they used to play with it and everything.. It wasn’t until they were in their 20s did the family find out the truth that one of my mom’s uncles (who had the definition of a cursed life) dug up a skull from this Native American land near their house when he was a kid.. Once they found out they returned it to the Chief of the area but yeah.. He ended up with a not so nice life, he killed himself when i was in middle school.
I’m so happy to have watched this amazing website grow up from less than 5,000 subs. To know how many Death Positive people, like myself, are out there supporting Caitlin’s articles and advocation of being able to talk about death openly, really gives me so much hope for humanity’s future. Sincerely, A Terminally Ill Deathling 🖤
We had some death talk in our home, and the most awkward thing that you may have overheard is our eldest saying he wants his skull to be kept by family member and made into a goblet. He has repeated this request several time, and the youngest sibling has been chosen to keep the skull safe. It’s a strange arrangement which I certainly hope won’t happen for 100 years, but interesting how adamant he is.
There’s a skull in the closet of the art room in the rural high school I went to. The art teacher had no idea who he was and said he’d been there since she took the job. As far as I know he’s still there. I had a panic attack when 15-year-old me first picked him up thinking it was just plastic. I wonder about him a lot. Is there a legal way to get him identified? It sounds like trying to buy him from the school would be very iffy and maybe expensive, but an adult woman breaking into a high school to steal something is definitely also a crime. I know whoever he was is long gone & it’s just bone, like there’s no ghost stuck in a high school forever, but it still makes me sad that he’s just stuck there. (Also drawings of him got me accepted into art school with a scholarship, so I owe him).
I love your content!! Have you ever looked into “ash diamonds” or diamonds made from cremated remains? I work as a goldsmith and once in a while they’ll get brought up because people believe it’s a real thing, but ask any jeweler they’ll tell you it’s a hoax. There’s not enough carbon left to make a perfectly formed diamond that’s cut flawlessly, but people are charges thousands of dollars for them and I feel like it’s a topic that needs to be shared more. Love ya girl!! 🥰
Today I started my first day of mortuary school. Thank you,Caitlyn, for further empowering me within the field I had selected. As I go through what I expect to be a mostly run of the mill mortuary education, I anticipate this website to become a safe space for me more than ever. I decided to enter mortuary science when I was a freshman in highschool after having experienced an unexpected family death, and seeing the horror of price gouged funerals. I was already against the funeral industry, and capitalism, and generally concerned about the environment when I found this website two years later. The influence of this website helped to show me that I was not alone in my thoughts or opinions, that there is an actively growing movement of people like myself. It helped me to solidify within myself my goals. It helped me understand that choosing a career path in funeral care dos not mean betraying my morals. so, thank you. My classmates are a very mixed bag, age wise, as people in mortuary school often are. they come from different backgrounds and that makes me weary as a queer individual with generally fringe beliefs and opinions. But, I can feel that my program is making an attempt to be modern and inclusive (in our second semester we even have a class that literally uses one of Caitlyn’s books as the actual textbook), so for now I suppose I will take what I can get from school, and continue to do my own research outside of it.
A few years ago one of my best friends took out a life insurance policy, he wanted to make me the main beneficiary on the stipulation that I keep his defleshed skull as a display piece. He tried to figure out the legalities of such but just couldn’t make it fly. But if we could find an avenue to do it I’d be happy to fulfil his wish hahaha
I realize I’m leaving comments on old articles but, I think you’re amazing. I’m learning so much about history and death and you’ve given me a lot to think about. I’ve even made an appt with a funeral home to discuss alternative options! I like your style. Your funny AF, most importantly you’re gifting others comfort. I’ve learned so much and I feel like I can advocate for myself! Thanks dolls. You da best ♥️
Let’s see: You de-flesh the skull before releasing it for mantle-piece display. You need to remove the skull before you can turn it into a shrunken head. So, if my brother and I both want Mom’s head for a memento, this could be solved by removing the skull, cleaning it, and giving it to one of us, and taking the rest of the head, boiling it with herbs, drying, and shrinking it, and giving it to the other. If we had another sibling, it might get more complicated, and they could get offended.
I just absolutely love how no topic is off the table for you, how informational, matter of fact and humorous you make of all death related subjects. I just love that you’re doing the good work of giving us all permission to explore death and help us all to not be as fearful of it. Although, I know when I find my very old dead dog one day, I will be scared of her body and probably run screaming. And why? Maybe because I don’t have a plan for when that happens. Hmmmm….randomness over… Thank you Caitlin!
The owner of a tattoo studio here in my city had wished for several of his tattoos to be preserved and framed, and when he passed suddenly a few years ago, they did that. I think one of the photos you used was actually his. It’s definitely an interesting service, but it’s certainly expensive and unusual at this point. And of course, an ethical grey area. But this was actually on his will, with plans and money already put away apparently. So uh, to each their own lol
Hi Ms. Doughty! So I’m a freshman in college and you inspired me so much to obtain a degree in Mortuary science! So one of my first research papers has to be related to funeral service and so I’m going to pick drum roll GREEN BURIAL!! It’s honestly so much better and more eco friendly then caskets and cremations and embalmings. So in a way, thank you for helping me pick out my topic! ❤️
I have a human skull named “Rupert Jr.” (someone had written this name on the back of the skull in red fine point marker) for over thirty years. It’s small, so I’ve always assumed it was harvested fron China or India as Caitlin mentions in the article. It has the screws/springs for the mandible and the little latches for the skullcap. Quite the conversation piece.
First I would like to say, “Caitlin, you are awesome and I’m looking forward to giving your book to my friends this Christmas!” Second I would like to tell the story of my college anatomy teachers and their bone collections. When you think about anatomical skeletons most people think of medical schools but they are also essential for artists. In fact my teachers at the School of Visual Arts in NYC even encouraged illustration students to view medical dissections as part of fully understanding the human body. It always amused me that one of my teachers could sit through a dissection without any trouble but would nearly faint at the sight of “living blood”. Anyway, this brings me to the many stories my teachers would tell us about the bones they had in their collections. To begin with most of their bones were actually quite old, inherited from their own mentors. This meant that most of them were from the time period when it was common for bones to be stolen from paupers’ graves in India and sold to western collectors. My teachers made certain to point this out to the class and note the small stature and signs of malnutrition on the bones. We were taught to respect that these were people who never asked for this and that it was a privilege that we could use real bones for our lessons. One of the instructors had a prize collection of anatomical oddities including a radius that had been broken and never properly set so it had fused to the ulna over time. She also had a red kangaroo pelvis which she loved to frighten students with.
wait wait whats the difference between my partner keeping my cremated remains on the mantle v. them keeping bones from my body in their house? if its illegal not to put non-cremated remains in a cemetery where does that leave everyone whos still hanging onto a box of ashes from a loved one? this seems very contradictory to me, im just confused
And here I was, minding my own business, thinking, “How marvelously poetic: to begin life as messily congealed star-dust haphazardly amalgamated through innumerable years of evolutionary trial and error, only to end as immolated, pulverized bone-dust. Ah, L’Mort!” Now this idea has been thrust upon me: my skull interred within an appropriately overdone mausoleum, placed atop a pillowed perch to psychosomatically heckle my descendants with my dark, judging sockets. From the battlements of my mortal remains shall hang such brassy intimations as, “You should visit more; Oh, don’t mind me; Why do I bother?” and “Venerate thy ancestors, ye negligent youth!”
My grandmother had my grandfathers full skeleton. In certain parts of Mexico the body of the deceased is only buried for four years. After that the remains are exhumed and given to the family. My grandfathers remains are now stored in the walls of the church he attended in his hometown. My grandfather was well known for his full head of hair while alive. After being exhumed his skull still had the scalp attached with his iconic full head of hair.
My questions: 1. Is the skull whole after cremation? 2. If it’s not legal to reduce a human head to a skull in any state, how do (medical) schools get skeletons? 3. If it’s not legal to keep a Dad’s head instead of burying him, how is it legal to keep his head in little crushed up bits (ashes)? 4. If your dad died 40 years ago, and was in a mausoleum, could you just ask them to pull the skull out?
When my dad took over as a high school science teacher in a small rural town he discovered the classroom skeleton was real. It had been there since he was a student decades before. There was some mention it had originally come from The Odd Fellows, and he tried to get them to bury it in the local cemetery.
I will be bereft of something special when I run out of Ask a Mortician. I love this YT series. Caitlin has explained why her elocution is so precise, her projection excellent. Drama. Addressing the biggest elephant in the room, death, plus Tyke rocks. Caitlin gives us the opportunity to have someone do the heavy lifting. Mitford and Kubler Ross are heavy. I am always reminded by Cicero: Caesar was asked: “What is a good death?” Caesar replied: “A sudden one.”
My living memento more-EE is that I asked my husband to ask his dentist to hold on to my husband’s extracted wisdom tooth and had it made into a ring for myself. I don’t need his whole skull, just being able to wear a little piece of his skull all the time while he’s still alive is good enough for me.
I’ve wondered about keeping relatives’ remains. Mostly because this is something my people would do. We’re also the type of people who would donate our bodies to science, particularly to body farms to study decomp. I wonder if that would change the legality around ‘abuse of a corpse’ given after a set number of years, most of the flesh would have been cleaned away. Or if you had a natural burial and could access the separated head after some decomp time. Also, my grandfather has been dead for 35 years. If he was not in America, or was in New Orleans in one of those above ground oven crypts where they push the bones down and out after 50ish years. Would I be able to take his skull at that point? (I know outside the US the laws would be different and I might have less of a struggle getting it anyway).
I’m an artist, and it’s my dream to have a book of my art bound in my own skin when I die. Maybe two, if I have enough, so one can be auctioned off and the proceeds donated to the Trevor Project. I just think that would be really metal, and frankly history needs at least one woman who was willingly turned into a skin book.
Potential Loophole? (At least in England) A composer donated his body to science and asked that his skull later be given to the Royal Shakespeare Company so he could play Yorick in Hamlet. Which, honestly, is pretty Badass. Though others have tried to gain the role, not all have succeeded. I would actually love to see a article discussing the history of actual skulls playing (or trying to be processed in order to play) Yorick. The TV show “Slings and Arrows” even had a storyline where they had to find a sketchy taxidermist to help execute a former artistic director’s wishes. After seeing this article, I’m not certain how accurate that storyline is, but it looks like they at least did their research to know that you can’t just send the skull off to 1-800-my-skull.
I’ve always “joked” that I wanted my tattoos tanned and made into an awesome wallet or handbag for my daughter. She’s only 14, so a bit too young for me to bring it up to her yet, but if it’s actually something that is in the realm of possibility, I think that that is amazing. I have spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours on my tattoos, and they are all very personal and, imho anyway, incredibly beautiful pieces of art. My only fear would be that I would end up accidentally left at a bar and donated to a Salvation Army Thrift store or something. Or that the Egyptians were right and I would have to wander the ever-after for eternity missing half my skin. That’s a risk I’m willing to take, though.
I have a neck tattoo an back tats an a bunch of random ones so that would be interesting if my wife did that lol. Would make dope wallpaper haha Once I was at a dog park an some old guy came up to me an told me I’d make a great lamp shade cause I guess back in the Vietnam war him an his soldiers in the army used to kill tattooed enemy soldiers and make lamp shades out of them. An he said it like it was perfectly fine an normal.
I’ve been telling my mother for years that I want all of my tattoos preserved when I die. I meant it as a joke, but now that I know it’s a real thing? I dunno… I have some very nice tattoos that would be a shame to bury. Yeah, photos are a thing, but having them displayed in a museum as art I feel would be a nice homage to the artists that did them. (especially my legs, because she’s a very dear friend of mine and very talented.) Is it weird to want want to have my skin displayed in a museum after I die? O.o
When I was studying funeral science,I had to take a funeral law class.We actually talked about property rights dealing with remains, funeral Stuff, toward law and a lot of contract law.Your discussion about quasi property reminded me of the class and how we had to learn about the different levels of property ownership.
Years ago, my then-18-year-old son had his jaw removed at UCLA and replaced with one of his leg bones. It was a rare condition, and he was part of “show and tell” in medical classes. While on this stage, he asked if he could keep his jaw and make a necklace out of it. The doctors presenting my son and his rare jaw just stopped and looked from doctor to doctor. I never found if his bone retention was legal because the doctors said that they really needed his jaw to study because it was so rare. Oh, my magnanimous son: He has no jaw necklace. 🙂 (However, when he sings that old song about “dem bones,” he can’t sing that his “calf bone’s” connected to his knee bone.)
I’d love to be a skull sitting someplace for people to see. I wouldn’t want a mortician to have to go though decapitating my corpse, though. Call me crazy if you’d like, but don’t you think it would be better to do something with your (or a loved one’s) corpse other than…well, not to be harsh, but; disposing of it? You’ve lived you life and hopefully done something positive with it, and now here you are laid out on the slab. It’s not like you’d know about it, but wouldn’t you rather be…I don’t know, but something other than burnt up or put into the ground? Maybe a skull on mantel, a planter, an ashtray stand. propped up under a tree someplace and left to decompose/feed whatever’s out there…something. I’m not trying to be all Ed Gein here, nor am I trying to be disrespectful to the dead. It just seems to me that the way we tend to just (for lack of a better term) get rid of corpses is kind of cold and wasteful. You know; think outside of the…forgive me, but….box.
My favorite part of this article: “Why aren’t people buying expensive metal caskets like they used to?” (insert Caitlin with sly grin) So good! My parents died in the early 2000s in Long Beach, CA (hometown) and I was appalled at what the cost of their funerals were, particularly my dad who was cremated and we weren’t allowed to put him in the same wall crypt as my mother (there was PLENTY of room for an urn, for crying out loud). Note, my mother wanted to be “buried” in a wall because she didn’t want the bugs to get her. Not kidding! The only “cool” thing about their funerals was that they were laid to rest at what was called Sunnyside Mortuary in North Long Beach (now owned by some enormous conglomerate/corporation), all of my grandparents are buried there as well. And they were born in the early 1890s. I dunno, I think that’s cool. ANYHOO… my dad always used to say, “Just throw me to the fishes”, and I’m still 100% with him on this. Even better if I can be placed in a shroud and laid out in a nice field somewhere, or in one of those lovely wicker coffins you featured on one of your episodes about green burial. I am lucky to now live in Seattle, where not only can I do just that, but I may even get the option to be composted, or aquamation-ed. Here’s hoping! So, thanks, Caitlin, I just love everything about what you and the Death Positive community are doing! It’s so desperately needed IMO. Not only are the funerals of old (and by old I mean post-1900) a horrifically expensive and demeaning (IMO) experience, but it’s utterly unnecessary!
I love learning new things to creep out my friends Saturday’s. Being on palliative care Even the teenagers in my life cannot escape my random death comments and facts. I will be forever grateful for this website bringing me to a place where I can see death as part of life and ok to talk about in return confusing my friends and family with random facts and finding a comfortable level of it will happen it sucks and I do wish I could still be here to see you get married and have children but I love you and let’s enjoy that for today and forever long we get together. This has inspired random texts such as OMG I’m sorry… your Batman lazar light ball thingy ran out of charge and I yell Oh No why Is she dead! I hope your not dead! text me! Love you! Or winners like.. So if I buy alphabet letters for my fridge and you get to be a ghost will you leave me messages if the person I’m dating sucks? In case I can’t see it. I may not trust moms opinion but I guess after your dead you may get more info or can stalk them better without being seen. Let me know! Off to text my friend if she’d like me to get my tattoos preserved for her to hang on the wall it’s legal but that keeping my skull is out of the question! Thanks Caitlin
You talked to the skull just like The Bowler, that is only you hear the reply. Love it! **Ref: See the film “Mystery Men”: One of the superheroes was called “The Bowler” who had her mafia boss Dad’s skull inside a clear bowling ball & her throwing it, is her “superpower”. (BTW, Janeane Garafolo, (yes I know it’s misspelled) was awesome in the role).**
I’ve been collecting the skulls of my pets and I’ve helped others preserve and keep a patch of their pets fur before and I never have thought of keeping a family members parts before. I think it’s a good idea and should be respected. I don’t personally have any interest in keeping a tattoo but a tattoo is a piece of art and a pice of the person and often attached to something sentimental it make complete sense to me. I think that there is a way to do it respectfully and without disregard to the body as well as the persons advanced directive when they die. I mean I’d rather have my body torn apart and as much as it used for donating to saving the still living, scientific advancement and educating people on the body as possibles. My belief is when I’m dead I’m done with it let it go to doing as much good as it can before rotting into nothing, that’s the best way to live on. Also this includes letting your family members keep remains for grieving process.
I really wish I’d known you could do that with tattoos when my grandfather passed away, he had 4 black and ‘white” tattoos on his arms that I loved as a child, I used to sit and colour them in with markers. Obviously I wouldn’t have wanted them back as part of a morbid adult colouring skin book but they were always one of my favourite parts of him, his big strong arms with these beautiful tattoos that would hold me tight as a child.
It’s funny you mention the skull cleaning guy at a local museum. I do know this guy. He owns skulls unlimited which is the cleaning service and sister company to the only osteology museum in the USA. It’s here in Oklahoma about 20 minutes from me and this exact thing is what I plan the do with my lets. Donate their bodies/bones to skulls unlimited but have their skulls cleaned for my self. You can even purchase real bones and bone replicas of all kind and species from them on their website. They even have a monthly subscription box.
You my dear are grossly underpaid and underappreciated. Of course I don’t really know how much your pay or appreciation is exactly, I’m just certain that you don’t get enough of either one. You couldn’t have possibly been better suited to do exactly what you are doing. I have been perusal your articles quite a bit as of late and I find you just completely perfect. You’re very physically pleasing, your voice is just right, you do accents, (oof, Russian, I don’t know) you’re very funny, you’re a total smartass, (I like that) and, uh, where’s my and? And, HMM, well, I hope you’re making bank at this YouTube thing. You totally deserve it. And do me favor tonight, tell Mom I said I’ll call her later.
I’ve always cleaned and bleached our old dog’s skulls after they die. I wait until they are decomposed to only bones. I keep them partially buried in sand beforehand to dry and heat and strip them to bones. The whole time they are covered with a tarp. Then I collect and bury the rest of the bones and set a marker in their final resting place. I glue the teeth in place after they’re bleached and set them on silk pillows in a curio cabinet. It started when one of our dogs drowned tragically during a seizure. I was so broken up I had to keep a part of her with me. Over the years now 7 are on their pillows and sometimes I touch them when I miss them. I sometimes use gold spray paint on them and when it weathers outside it becomes a beautiful patina. Some people etch and adorn them and hand paint them.
ROTFLMAO!!! Caitlin, I LOVE you! I don’t consider myself morbid or a death fanatic, but you’re funny, fascinating, and informative…and no, death doesn’t freak me out. BTW, I’m heavily tattooed, and I’m TERRIFIED that my ink will not be saved after I go. Sadly. I guess I’m the only one who’d want it.
Episodes of “Bones” comes to mind when they clean the bodies to check out the bones lol my family has the lightheartedness & sense of humor that would allow me their 💀 though if I had known.. Years ago… I might have 4 resting on the boxes of remaining particles if you will. I use to carve bone, I would have decorated them lovely. Maybe in the next life. We’re so conditioned to close up on death, behind closed doors, to either or only see them in a wake, a viewing, a funeral, done and done. I’ve learned so much from this website that I don’t look at death the same way. Unfortunately they look at me differently now. I have tons of tattoos as well.. I’ll be sure to let the kids/grandkids know lol
3:01 crazy story, one time a friend of a friend went to a bar and met a guy, and after a fun night they had oral shenanigans in the bathroom and parted ways. A couple of days later she started getting these weird black zits around her mouth, and she went to the doctor to get them looked at. The doctor took a swab and sent it off to the lab, and when she was called back in the cops were there. Apparently the guy she hooked up with was a ‘geckophiliac’ and had been fooling around with a dead body. This happened in Maple Ridge BC.
I basically got told we should make arrangements with the local medical examiner if someone in the family wanted it. This came up because the late spouse agreed that the eldest should have his skull. This is in Southern NM. And that was what the funeral home person told us. Now I have to figure out if it’s legal to turn his cremains into a skull … fairysnuff-000 My dad and I ‘met’ 30 years ago when I was about 23. (He and my mother split soon after I was born) I was perhaps not his ideal version of a daughter …. Once he got to know me, with my dreadlocks, piercings and tattoos he referred to me as his ‘unpolished diamond’ …. The thing he was most puzzled by was my septum ring, which was not at all common back then. Later I said that when he died, I would have his ashes put through the process that turns them into a sort of diamond, and I’d have him swinging above my top lip forever, which he LOVED I now have his ashes, and am slowly saving up….. 💎
(Not So) Fun Story Time: All four of my grandparents were of the World War II generation. Both of my grandfathers and their bothers served in the war. I don’t know where, exactly, my great-uncles served or what branches they were in, but both of my grandfathers were in the Army, in the Pacific theatre. Pops was US Army Air Force (the USAF wasn’t its own separate thing until 1946 or 1948), and Granddad was pure Army (Ordinance). I knew of the war before starting school because of them. My mom told me about Granddad fighting in the war, and of course, Pops taught me a little Japanese while talking about the planes he’d flown, and a little German when talking about being the base commander at Hahn AFB in the 50s and 60s. When I got to middle school (1998-1999 school year was my 6th grade year) and really started learning about the war, being the little neurodivergent gremlin that I am, I dove headfirst into reading and perusal everything I could about it. Everyone learned about Auschwitz. That was the Big Bad. The others were just names: Dachau, Bergen-Belsen, Treblinka, Buchenwald, Ravensbrück, Kraków, Kaiserwald, Warsaw. Never even heard about the others. I kept reading, learning everything my sponge of a brain could soak up. I found a book at Barnes & Noble that my mom or uncle (I can’t remember which) bought for me: The 10 Most Evil People in History. I was in my sophomore year of high school, I think. Well, in that book, there was the expected chapters about Hitler, Stalin, Vlad III Tepes Dracula (Tepes = The Impaler), Queen Mary I.
My Dad passed in April and he left me his car and my mom gave me tons of his shirts, jackets and pants. I donated most of it as it felt kind of weird. Having a body part is really weird. My Dad was Catholic and wanted to be buried with his daughter that died at 4 many decades ago. We were able to do that for him. It is still all like a bad dream I hope I wake up from.
I’m bummed, I bought the hardcover of “will my cat eat my eyes”, wait, I’m not bummed because I bought the book.. I am bummed because i didn’t order through her link and therefore I didn’t receive a stamped and signed picture of her face, or the adorable sticker. Ok, her stamped face is adorable too, but the sticker is to die for. Ok, maybe not to die for…
4:58 when she asked “who’s gonna get all the pesky flesh off her skull” My immediate thoughts went back that of what we’ve done for deer before which is boiling the deers head and before anyone asks yes it stinks but it definitely works Though after some time boiling you might have to take it out and scrape on it a bit and maybe even scoop the eyes out but afterwards just keep on boiling it
My Mum is a doctor and when we were kids she was working as a university lecturer in Anatomy. There were all kinds of curiosities in the house when I was growing up – including a real human skull and a femur There was also a hand with wires connecting all the bones, and I remember wondering who the bones belonged to and what kind of people they were. It used to be quite common for doctors to have real bones in their offices, even complete skeletons. The university of course had lots of skeletons including one with moving parts which could be put in various poses. It was on a stand with wheels and was usually in one of the lecture theatres where students would put it in humorous poses between lectures. My little brother and I were very young and when students used to babysit us they’d let us play with the skeleton. It was a memorable experience as a child and having full access to the school of medicine. There was a morgue in the basement but I only went in once. I must have sneaked in because I remember seeing a cadaver being sawed in half on one of those table-saw things and had vivid nightmares for years. That was such a horrible image it still haunts me and whenever I hear a saw that horrible image comes into my mind. Had another scarring experience when I accidentally opened a forensic medicine text which had photos of human bodies in different states of decomposition, of different types of wound: axe, gunshot, knife … horrifying images that fuel my nightmares to this day.
My family has sorta collectively and individually decided cremation and jewelry to keep the ashes is sorta all of our general death plans. I think part of it is just out of pure practicality… Burial is expensive. But it’s the jewelry part that puzzles and amuses me because it sorta just is a given somehow. I myself decided this as a teenager. When we had Jr. High career day and I sat in on the Death Care one. It was fascinating and they gave out death plan like brochures. I read through the options carefully. ( By that time my class had actually lost three classmates. Car accidents and a murder. So to me the brochures were actually very relevant. ) when I saw the jewelry I was in love and it’s been it for me since. And somehow all my family members have sorta just come along in their own ways to the same conclusion.
Back when I worked on university they asked me to paint a ladder. I opened the can and looked around if I had a stick or something to stir it up a little. I found a tiny wooden thingy on the floor (this was up in an attic that had a lot of old broken and unused stuff). After I was done stirring I noticed it was actually a human rib! I looked around and found part of a skull, and several other ribs scattered around. I told my boss and after a research he said it had been an old donation of a partial skeleton for educational purposes, but it seems in the end the deemed it not useful and instead of tossing it somewhere, they just dumped it in the attic, and in time it was crushed and scattered by all the other boxes and things stored there.
I wanted a memento mori and bought a skull from an online store. It had all kinds of medical nomenclature written on it. The store purchased it from a dentist, who purchased it from a university anatomist. That’s all I could find out, but at least it felt like I was minimizing the chances that the skull came from some poor person who couldn’t afford a burial.
Well…. I think you will find very interesting that in Brazil you have to exhume the body after three years, even if you own the land ( I don’t really know the burocracy, and it’s very complicated), but they keep the bones in boxes and you can simply rebury it, which is the thing that most people do, but you are granted a permission to have human remains with you, so, in theory you can bring them home.
You’ve probably heard of this but this article reminded me of the bone girl on Tumblr, basically this witch collective had this FB group and one of them would rob graves in Louisiana, except it was totally fine because she wasn’t actually digging them out but picking them off the ground after flooding made the bones wash up.
My grandfather had knee surgery and it turns out the meds he takes makes his bones black! I want to ask him for a toe so bad. Just something’s small. I mean I have my grandmothers ashes in a piece of jewelry and it mostly sits on a shelf besides when I take her to family gatherings, so I guess putting grandpas toe or any bone at all in a jar isn’t too bad. I think it’s fascinating that bones could be a different color. His feet has always hurt him so I think it’s be nice to look over and see his toe knowing he’s not in pain anymore. I mean you can’t even touch them without pain, and when he walks it like perusal someone walking on glass. his wrist are the same way. Poor man is groaning in pain all day.
I would like to have my brother’s tattoos after he dies. However, some really good photographs would be a good alternative. If/when I get a tattoo myself, I’ll ask the artist if I can buy the artwork he’s working from. Even if flaying and preserving that part of my skin is illegal, my family will always have the final-draft artwork!
I tried to keep our cat’s skull and set it in a container after the bugs had defurred and defleshed it, and either my husband (who gets super creeped out by these things) threw it out, or some prick took it out of the container (which was a ceramic jack o’lantern on our porch) and kept it. It was a beautiful skull, he was a big Maine Coon Cat and he died prematurely and his skull looked like a bobcat’s. BTW, you must have read the book “Stiff” where the writer talks about the lady who saws off the heads of people who donate their bodies for medical research….they used these heads for plastic surgery trainees. The author talks about how poorly the heads were removed and the rather vicious looking woman who did it with a bone saw (or a hacksaw, she said it was very ragged, definitely not a guillotine).
It’s such a weird thing, but I actually did think about that one time. My father passed away unexpectedly in 2015 and my second wife and I went to my mother’s houseto pay our respects and to support mom. It was a beautiful moment, and much more than a moment. We were waiting on the coroner, and it took several hours, so we had a great deal of time to sit with Dad, talk to him and say goodbye.I hope this doesn’t make me sound like a weirdo but I wanted Dad to be with me always, and I thought about asking if it would be possible for me to have his skull. And retrospect, I understand that that was a crazy idea, a request I would never ever make…But I understand why I would have thought thatWould be okay
When I was in college, way back in the 1970’s, we had genuine human bones and skeletons to study for art classes, anthropology and of course, med school. I once borrowed and took home a box of hand bones that I assembled with flexible wire. The company that sold them got them from Pakistan, and during that time, Pakistan stopped selling human bones. I don’t know what happened to the company. I always wanted to spend my eternity as a skeleton posing for art students.
We have three skulls in my family who have graced my Dad’s bookshelf in his office ever since I can remember. They came from my great-grandfather who was in his day quite a famous anthropologist. One is the skull of a young woman who was killed for being a witch a couple of centuriesago,,one is from a child (date unknown) and the last from an indigen of Papua New Guinea where my Ggf lived for 2 years – at a time when people still thought they were cannibals. My ggf returned safe and well (that’s a lie- he eventually died of Malaria). In recent years I have been thinking it’s time to lay these skulls to rest, but the university has expressed an interest in having them too. It’s a hot debate in our family, they are part of our unit, and certainly cherished. But yeah – I’m with my Mum who said she wanted them to be buried with her – thing is, she died very suddenly last year and her cremation took place before I remembered her words, we were all far too distraught and she hadn’t written down anywhere what her final wishes would be. I hadn’t seen my Mum in 2 years as she was overseas and – Covid-19, so I wasn’t thinking straight. It’s hard to know what the right thing to do is, because as this article shows, opinions vary. Perhaps the solution is a partial one: Bury the “witch” and the child but keep the Papua New Guinea chap, as it was his family who gave it to my ggf. I’ve only recently found this website, find it interesting, fascinating, informative, therapeutic – all the good stuff.
Just a suggestion, if you are going to play Prince Hamlet on some adaptation of the famous play, or if you are the director/prop master wondering about this detail of the soliloquy “To be, or not to be”, a dagger looks much more dramatic than a skull, as a prop. Shakespeare didn’t specify any props on the script, so not even this is a good reason for acquiring a skull. Or use a plastic one, you don’t want your production ruined by lawsuits.
In my country it is unheard of to keep cremated remains in an urn in your house, it’s just not something that is done – at all. Back when I first saw that people do it in the US, it felt very macabre to me. But if you’re okay with keeping the ground up bones of your loved one in a jar in the bookshelf, then I don’t really see why keeping the bones without grinding them up should be a big difference. I think people just don’t realise that cremated remains are just that – bones that have been ground up in a machine. People genuinely think cremated remains are ash, just because it’s called “someone’s ashes”, rather than skeletal pieces that have deliberately been crushed to a powder.
I own King Arthur’s big toe bone. My father found it at his gravesite in the UK, and chased my mother and I around with it until we forced him to take it to the police–assuming it’s a murder victim buried atop his grave given it was right at the surface–unfortunately the police deemed it too old to be of interest and to our horror RETURNED IT TO HIM. He smuggled it home to Australia through customs. I woke up to find it up my nose or in my ear many, many times. 🙁 Now I save it so that when I have children I can pass down the abuse and put it up their noses too! That or maybe if there’s ever a reconquista of the British looking to retake their homeland I’ll sell it as a holy relic. 😛
I’ve been told that eventually I will need a hip replacement surgery. You should see the doctor’s face when I told him that I wanted the bone he removes back. When he asked me why I told him that I wanted them incorporated into walking sticks. When he asked me why. I told him if they won’t help me walk where they are they can as part of a cane. The positive thing is they can be buried with me later and screw with the heads of Archeologists years from now.
So, that raises the question of organ donors. Specifically, post mortem donation from those have donor listed on their drivers license or similar situation. At what point does the donated organ cease to be part of the corpse? It can’t be the time at which it is harvested as that would mean any form of dismemberment pre or post mortem would cause other issues.
I was wondering if you could do a article about the story behind the documentary “Finders Keepers”? It’s not really about death but it is about a man who had his leg amputated and decided to keep it to be preserved, but eventually loses it only for it to be found by another man in a bbq grill he bought. Eventually it leads to a legal battle over who owns the leg: the guy who the leg came from or the guy who bought the bbq with the leg inside. It a very interesting story and relates to the grey area on keeping human remains
I went the easy route and bought a fake skull that I named ‘Jeremy’ (after Jeremy Brett). He was even in a production of Hamlet I was in years ago as Yorick. He did get a little damaged so he’s retiring from acting and I’m thinking of getting another one after I move, just need to decide what this one will be called.
In all due respect, you can go to a few places online and buy skulls or any bones your little heart desires if you pay for them. So how can I buy a Peruvian skeleton yet I can’t give my skull to a pal? My pal had his dogs head cleaned by a place in Utah . We shipped our Baby Dallas to them. They buried his skull with nature and let nature’s little cleaners do their thing. He was glued together and whitened . They did a beautiful job and our Dallas will be with him forever.
I really wanted my dad to leave me his skull in his will. Bummer. My entire skeletal remains will be stored at the University of Tennessee after my body decomposes on the “farm”. What’s cool about this (to me) is that they allow family members to come see your skeleton. (After the decomposition and cleaning process) I believe they can even hold your skull. I don’t know if my kids will be down with that or not. But the option will be there indefinitely from my understanding.
I was a newspaper photographer who did a story about a local potter who would incorporate your loved one’s cremains into pottery (this was back before cremation was as common as today). After I photographed several of his artworks, he said he was sorry that he wasn’t able to show me one of his most unusual works. “A woman brought in the ashes of her exe, and wanted them fashioned into a large phallus. ‘The guy was a big prick while he was alive, so it’s appropriate that he spend eternity as one,”” he said.
When I was real young like 4 or 5 skeleton s use to scare me to death. The skull part of it really did it. I use to think a skeleton was a monster when I was 5 it freaked me out when my mother told me I had one inside me . Now I just find skulls both extremely disturbing and fascinating at the same time. It freaks me that the skull was once somebody