Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning. Cremation is carried out at a temperature ranging between 1400 to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. The intense heat helps reduce the body to its basic elements and dried bone fragments. Many families choose cremation over burial for personal, religious, economic, or ecological reasons. The entire process takes about 2-3 hours to complete. After cremation, the remains, which are mostly bone fragments, are processed into finer ashes. These ashes are returned to the deceased’s family in an urn or container. So what does a body look like after cremation? Here is a detailed look at the cremation process and what remains afterwards.
What happens during cremation?
Cremation takes place in a cremation chamber or retort, which is a heat-resistant steel container designed to withstand the high temperatures required for the process. The retort is lined with heat-resistant refractory bricks. At the start of cremation, the body is placed in a combustible cremation container or casket, which is then placed into the cremation chamber.
Some key steps in the cremation process are:
1. Heat up and dehydration:
The retort is heated up to about 1400-1800°F. At these temperatures, the body quickly dehydrates as the water evaporates. The body begins to char and burn.
2. Burning and vaporization:
The high heat leads to burning and vaporization of the organic matter in the body. The fat and protein content get burned off. The water bound up in the body evaporates.
3. Reduction and calcination:
The intense heat reduces the body to just dried bones and bone fragments. This reduction and calcination process takes about 2-3 hours.
4. Cooling and processing:
Once cremation is complete, the cremated remains are left to cool. The bones fragments are then swept from the cremation chamber. Larger bone pieces are processed into finer particles using a machine called a cremulator.
What do the cremated remains look like?
After going through the cremation process, the body is reduced to calcified bone fragments and ashes. Here are some key characteristics of cremated remains:
- The cremated remains are mostly white or grayish in color.
- They resemble coarse sand, fine gravel, or crushed chalk in texture.
- The bone fragments can range from large visible pieces to fine powdery ashes.
- Adult remains weigh about 4-8 pounds.Infants and small pets weigh much less.
- The cremated remains fill about 200 cubic inches of space – an amount that would fit into a standard sized urn.
The cremated remains are swept and collected into a temporary container. Any large bone fragments are ground down further into smaller pieces. Metals like dental fillings or medical implants are removed. The fine particulate bone matter is then placed into an urn or temporary container to be returned to the family.
What the bones look like:
The bone fragments can vary widely in size, from 0.5 to 5 cm across. The fragments include:
- Skull fragments
- Vertebrae
- Rib bone pieces
- Pelvic bone chunks
- Arm and leg bone fragments
The adult skeleton has 206 bones. Not all bones completely calcify and burn. Softer bones like ribs and vertebrae tend to get destroyed. Denser, thicker bones like the femur and skull withstand the fire and fragment.
Consistency of the ashes:
The cremated remains have an ash-like consistency. However, they are grittier than ash because they are composed of coarser bone fragments. The texture can range from fine powder to grainy sand to gravel-like chunks depending on the pulverization.
| Type | Consistency |
|---|---|
| Fine powdered ash | Similar to baking soda |
| Gritty ash | Like fine sand |
| Bone chunks | Resembling pebbles or gravel |
Color and appearance:
Freshly cremated remains are usually light gray to white in color. With time, they can take on a darker grayish hue. Small flecks of charred material may be present. The cremated bones have a calcified, brittle look.
| Common Colors |
|---|
| White |
| Light or pale gray |
| Dark or charcoal gray |
The appearance of the cremated remains can vary based on the temperature and duration of cremation. Proper protocols are followed to ensure complete cremation and pulverization into uniform finer pieces.
Factors affecting the cremated remains
Some factors that can affect the quantity, size, and appearance of cremated remains include:
1. Body size and weight:
Larger bodies with more bones produce more cremated remains. Small pets and infant remains are much smaller in volume.
2. Bone density:
Dense, thick bones like the femur and hip withstand fire better and have larger fragments. Weaker bones get destroyed.
3. Cremation temperature:
Higher temperatures result in finer, powdery remains. Lower heat produces more identifiable bone pieces.
4. Cremation duration:
A longer cremation ensures that bones are completely calcined and fragmented. Short or incomplete cremations may have charred organic matter.
5. Cremulator processing:
The finer consistency of the cremated remains depends on the pulverizing and grinding process after cremation.
6. Casket and container:
Non-combustible casket material like metal may get intermixed and need removal. Combustible containers produce finer remains.
Volume of cremated remains
The cremated remains fill about 1/8th to 1/10th the volume occupied by the body before cremation.
The approximate volumes are:
- Adults remains: 200 cubic inches = 1.3 gallons volume
- Child remains: 3-7 pounds or 1/2 gallon volume
An average adult body is reduced to about 4-8 pounds of cremated remains, which would fit into an urn of 200 cubic inch capacity. Due to the water loss, most of the body’s mass is shed during cremation.
Causes for higher or lower volume:
The final volume can be slightly higher or lower depending on:
- Body size – Obese bodies have higher remains
- Bone density and strength
- Efficiency of cremulation
- Amount of non-combustible material like prosthetics, implants etc.
Proper protocols are followed by crematories to pulverize and process the remains into the expected volumes to fit standard container sizes.
What gets destroyed during cremation?
The intense heat of cremation destroys all the organic matter and evaporates the water in the body. Here are the key things that get destroyed:
1. All the soft tissues – skin, muscles, organs
The high temperatures quickly reduce the soft tissues of the body into gaseous byproducts that are expelled through the crematorium exhaust.
2. Fat, proteins and other organic matter
The body fat helps fuel and accelerate the burning. Proteins, carbohydrates and other organics are oxidized into gases.
3. Casket and clothing
Unless specially built, the casket and clothing are designed to burn and get destroyed during cremation.
4. Hair, nail and teeth
While dental fillings may survive, the hair, nails and teeth are completely destroyed by the fire.
5. Ligaments, cartilage and tendons
The softer connective tissues don’t withstand the heat. They burn away leaving only the calcified bones behind.
What survives the cremation process?
While most of the body gets destroyed during cremation, some durable materials may survive the fire:
- Bone fragments – These account for most of the cremated remains.
- Dental work – Gold fillings or porcelain crowns may be recovered.
- Medical implants – Titanium plates, screws or artificial joints may survive.
- Pacemakers – Have to be removed before cremation.
The cremation operator will remove any larger non-combustible materials from the cremains like metal. Only the bone fragments get processed into the ashes placed in the urn.
Cremated remains are mostly mineral bone matter
The cremation process reduces the body to just the mineral components in the bones – calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, and traces of sodium and potassium.
The components of cremated remains include:
| Mineral | Composition |
|---|---|
| Calcium phosphate | 65-70% |
| Calcium carbonate | 20-25% |
| Sodium and Potassium | 1-4% |
| Minor minerals | 1-2% |
This mineral composition is similar to that found in limestone, coral and seashells. The organic matter gets completely burned off during cremation.
No DNA or body fluids remain
The cremation destroys any fluids, soft tissues and organic matter in the body through oxidation and evaporation. No DNA or genetic material can survive the intense heat and fire.
Cremated remains are sterile
The heat of cremation destroys all traces of organic matter including viruses, bacteria and other pathogens. The cremated remains are sterile and pose no health hazard.
It is completely safe to handle the ashes. They may be kept at home or scattered as desired. There are no risks of contamination or transfer of diseases from the cremated remains.
Conclusion
Cremation uses high heat to reduce the body to dry bone fragments that are further processed into ashes. All the soft tissues of the body are destroyed. The cremated remains are mostly mineral phosphates, carbonates and salt residues from the bone. They are sterile and safe. The volume of remains is about 4-8 pounds for adults – enough to fill an urn or small container. While the form of the body is gone, the cremated remains can still be retained, memorialized or scattered by loved ones.