We know that coffins are used for the burials of people all around the world. But what are these coffins made up off? A lot of people who are looking forward to buying the coffins want to know about how they are made, and with what materials they are made. I am here to answer your question in this article. Materials for the coffins are highly influenced by times and trends. At the start, there was the only rock that was cut to make the coffins. But with the time there came the coffins or caskets that were solely made with the wood, nowadays we see a diverse type of materials used in the coffins making.
First, all the coffins are not the same and they are not always made of the same materials. Also, all the coffins do not have a similar shape as well. Due to these changes in the shape and size of the coffins, there are different materials that are used worldwide and in Singapore for making coffins. To understand all of this, we need to start from the history.
History of the coffins and the material used:
Most of the boxes or coffins were made from wood or stones in ancient times. You may know that ancient Egyptians used to bury the dead people in the boxes, there is evidence that the use of coffins started from Egypt and then spread to all over the world. In ancient Egypt, when the people of high ranks or a pharaoh died, they used to bury him in a big place or mausoleum made for him. And inside that mausoleum, they would place the mummified remains of the dead person inside the wooden box or a rocky box made with heavy rocks to protect the remains.
Romans and Greeks learned this from the Egyptians and taught this to Jews and this passed from the Jews to Christians and then in the 7th century, in England and some other parts of the world people started to use wooden boxes or stones as the coffins. In the 18th and 19th century the concept of wooden boxes as coffins grew. And it became a worldwide phenomenon.
In recent years we have seen another type of coffins that are being demanded by the public, the green coffins. These are the coffins that are made with a material that is environment friendly and does not harm the environment. This development came after the people around the world witnessed the harmful effects of different materials.
Raw Material for Coffins:
There are a lot of raw materials that are used for the making of coffins, they may even range from the cardboard to bronze. These materials are used to make the coffins for people at different levels. Such as heads of states and important people may get a coffin made up of white bronze. They are also made with the wood, there are different qualities of the wood that are available for different prices.
Wood such as Cherry or Mahogany is very expensive while the pinewood is comparatively less pricy. In some countries, they are also made up of the steel, and out of the fiberglass.
Apart from these materials for the outside of the coffin, there is also seen the use of velvet inside the coffins or caskets. Nowadays polyester and some related materials are also being used for the burials. Coffin parts are attached with the help of steel or iron nails. The steel or some other metallic material or even sometimes gold is also seen on the coffins.
Here are the few most used materials:
- The wood of different kinds of trees.
- Cardboards for lightweight boxes.
- Steel and other metal-carbons.
- Bronze, copper, and sometimes gold.
- In some places, bamboo sticks are also used.
Materials in wood coffins:
Wood is the largest component of these coffins, but that does not mean that they are only made up of the wood only. There are also other materials that are used in them as well. Also, the wood for these is not always the same. You can get a wooden box that is made of the cherry or pine or mahogany, but all these trees cause different prices for the wooden coffins. There is also the use of velvet clothing for the inside of the coffin or casket. Apart from these two some amount of metal is also used to keep the wood in place. Some wooden coffins also have a mirror through which the person’s face can be seen.
Materials in Metal Coffins:
These are made of different metals, such as bronze, steel, and copper. There are a lot of other cheaper versions also available for these coffins as well. Most of these expensive wooden boxes are used for a state burial or for someone very important. They also have an inner lining of the velvet cloth and a mirror so that the people can see the face of the dead person. Metal coffins are also displayed in the history of the National Archives and many alternative museums around the world. It is still a very beautiful personal tribute, making farewell for the last time.
Green Coffins Material:
These days more and more people are caring about environmental protection and they want a coffin that is made with green or environmentally friendly materials. So that it gives no harm to the environment. For these people, the coffins are made with recyclable materials or materials that are green such as bamboo sticks.
You can get any type of coffin that you want, In Singapore, wooden coffins and metal coffins are both used for the people burials. As the coffins are a sort of a tribute to remember the person, you should use the get a coffin that is made with good materials.