Are Bones Ground After Cremation?
The process of cremation involves the burning of a deceased person's body at a very high temperature, resulting in the reduction of the remains to bone fragments. While these fragments might look like bone, they are actually very fragile and brittle. The high heat of the cremation process has transformed them into a powdery substance.
What Happens to the Remains?
After the cremation process is complete, the remaining fragments are collected and carefully processed to ensure any metal objects (like pacemakers or dental fillings) are removed. These are then returned to the family along with the cremains.
The "grinding" process, if done at all, is not a mandatory part of the cremation process. This is a common misconception, and many people believe that cremation involves a grinding of the bone fragments into ash. However, the process of cremation naturally reduces the bone fragments into a powder-like substance.
The cremains are often described as "ashes", but this isn't entirely accurate. They are primarily a mixture of fine bone fragments, with a smaller amount of ash from the burning process.
Why the Confusion?
The confusion stems from the practice of placing the cremains in an urn, which can be seen as a similar container to an ash tray. This might lead people to believe the cremains are entirely ashes, when in fact they are the pulverized remains of the body.
In conclusion, while cremation involves the burning of the body at high temperatures, the remains are not ground into ashes. The heat naturally transforms the bone fragments into a fine, powdery substance. The cremains are a combination of these bone fragments and ash. The decision to further process the remains is left to the family, with many opting to keep the cremains as they are.