When the body begins to decompose after death. Determination of the duration of death by the gastrointestinal tract. Peat tanning and fat wax formation

What happens in the coffin after death

Officially, it takes 15 years for a body to completely decompose in a coffin. However, re-burial is allowed after approximately 11-13 years after the first. It is believed that during this time both the deceased and his final resting place will completely decompose, and the earth can be reused.

Immediately after death, self-digestion of human internal organs and tissues begins. And with it, after some time, rotting. Before a funeral, processes are slowed down by embalming or refrigerating the body to make the person appear more presentable. But underground there are no longer any restraining factors. And decomposition destroys the body in full swing. As a result, all that remains is bones and chemical compounds: gases, salts and liquids.

In fact, a corpse is a complex ecosystem. It is a habitat and breeding ground for a large number of microorganisms. The system develops and grows as its habitat decomposes. Immunity turns off soon after death - and germs and microorganisms populate all tissues and organs. They feed on cadaveric fluids and provoke further development of decay. Over time, all tissues completely rot or decay, leaving a bare skeleton. But it too may soon collapse, leaving only individual, especially strong bones.

What happens in the coffin after a year

After a year has passed after death, the process of decomposition of residual soft tissue sometimes continues. Often, when excavating graves, it is noted that after a year after death, the cadaveric smell is no longer present - the rotting is complete. And the remaining tissues either slowly smolder, releasing mainly nitrogen and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, or there is simply nothing left to smolder. Because only the skeleton remained.

Skeletonization is the stage of decomposition of the body when only one skeleton remains. What happens to the deceased in the coffin about a year after death. Sometimes some tendons or particularly dense and dry areas of the body may still remain. Next will be the process of mineralization. It can last for a very long time - up to 30 years. Everything remaining from the body of the deceased will lose all “extra” minerals. As a result, what remains of a person is an unfastened pile of bones. The skeleton falls apart as joint capsules, the muscles and tendons that hold the bones together no longer exist. And it can remain in this form for an unlimited amount of time. At the same time, the bones become very fragile.

What happens to the coffin after burial?

Most modern coffins are made from ordinary pine boards. Such material is short-lived in conditions of constant humidity and will last in the ground for a couple of years. After that, he turns into dust and fails. Therefore, when digging up old graves, it’s good to find several rotten boards that were once a coffin. The service life of the final resting place of the deceased can be somewhat extended by varnishing it. Other, harder and more durable types of wood may not rot large quantity time. And especially rare, metal coffins are quietly stored in the ground for decades.

As a corpse decomposes, it loses fluid and slowly turns into a collection of substances and minerals. Since a person is 70% water, it needs to go somewhere. She leaves everyone's body possible ways and seeps through the bottom boards into the ground. This obviously does not extend the life of the tree; excess moisture only provokes its rotting.

How a man decomposes in a coffin

During decomposition, the human body necessarily goes through several stages. They can vary in time depending on the burial environment and the condition of the corpse. The processes that occur with the dead in the coffin ultimately leave the body with a bare skeleton.

Most often, the coffin with the deceased is buried after three days from the day of death. This is due not only to customs, but also to simple biology. If after five to seven days the corpse is not buried, then this will have to be done in a closed coffin. Since by this time autolysis and decay will have developed en masse, and internal organs will slowly begin to collapse. This can lead to putrefactive emphysema throughout the body, leakage of bloody fluid from the mouth and nose. Now the process can be stopped by embalming the body or keeping it in the refrigerator.

What happens to the corpse in the coffin after burial is reflected in several different processes. Collectively, they are called decomposition, which, in turn, is divided into several stages. Decomposition begins immediately after death. But it begins to manifest itself only after some time, without limiting factors - within a couple of days.

Autolysis

The very first stage of decomposition, which begins almost immediately after death. Autolysis is also called “self-digestion.” Tissues are digested under the influence of the breakdown of cell membranes and the release of enzymes from cellular structures. The most important of these are cathepsins. This process does not depend on any microorganisms and begins independently. Internal organs, such as the brain and adrenal medulla, spleen, pancreas, are the most susceptible to autolysis, as they contain the most a large number of cathepsin. Somewhat later, all cells of the body enter into the process. This provokes rigor mortis due to release from intercellular fluid calcium and its connection with troponin. Against this background, actin and myosin combine, which causes muscle contraction. The cycle cannot be completed due to the lack of ATP, so the muscles are fixed and relaxed only after they have begun to decompose.

Autolysis is partly facilitated by various bacteria that spread throughout the body from the intestines, feeding on the fluid flowing from decomposing cells. They literally “spread” throughout the body through blood vessels. The liver is primarily affected. However, bacteria reach it within the first twenty hours from the moment of death, first promoting autolysis and then rotting.

Rotting

In parallel with autolysis, a little later than its onset, rotting also develops. The rate of decay depends on several factors:

• The state of a person during life.
• Circumstances of his death.
• Soil humidity and temperature.
• Density of clothing.

It begins with the mucous membranes and skin. This process can develop quite early if the soil of the grave is wet, and in the circumstances of death there is blood poisoning. However, it develops more slowly in cold regions or if the corpse contains insufficient moisture. Some strong poisons and thick clothing also help slow it down.

It is noteworthy that many myths about “moaning corpses” are associated specifically with rotting. This is called vocalization. When a corpse decomposes, gas is formed, which primarily occupies the cavities. When the body has not yet rotted, it exits through natural openings. When gas passes through vocal cords, constrained by numb muscles, the output is sound. Most often this is a wheezing or something similar to a groan. Rigor most often passes just in time for the funeral, so in in rare cases A terrifying sound can be heard from a coffin that has not yet been buried.

What happens to the body in the coffin at this stage, begins with the hydrolysis of proteins by proteases of microbes and dead cells of the body. Proteins begin to break down gradually, to polypeptides and below. At the output, free amino acids remain instead. It is as a result of their subsequent transformation that a corpse smell arises. At this stage, the growth of mold on the corpse and the colonization of it by maggots and nematodes can speed up the process. They mechanically destroy tissues, thereby accelerating their decay.

The liver, stomach, intestines and spleen are the most susceptible to decomposition in this way, due to the abundance of enzymes in them. In this regard, very often the peritoneum of the deceased bursts. During decay, corpse gas is released, which fills the natural cavities of a person (swells him from the inside). The flesh is gradually destroyed and exposes the bones, turning into a fetid grayish pulp.

The following external manifestations can be considered clear signs of the onset of rotting:

• Greening of the corpse (formation of sulfhemoglobin in the ileal region from hydrogen sulfide and hemoglobin).
• Putrefactive vascular network (blood that does not leave the veins rots, and hemoglobin forms iron sulfide).
• Cadaveric emphysema (the pressure of the gas produced during putrefaction swells the corpse. It can invert the pregnant uterus).
• Glowing of a corpse in the dark (production of hydrogen phosphide, occurs in rare cases).

Smoldering

A corpse decomposes most quickly in the first six months after burial. However, instead of rotting, smoldering may begin - in cases where there is not enough moisture and too much oxygen for the former. But sometimes decay can begin after partial rotting of the corpse.

For it to occur, it is necessary that enough oxygen enters the body and not a lot of moisture enters. With it, the production of corpse gas stops. The release of carbon dioxide begins.

Another way is mummification or saponification

In some cases, rotting and decay do not occur. This may occur due to the processing of the body, its condition, or an environment unfavorable for these processes. What happens to the dead person in the coffin in this case? As a rule, there are two options left: the corpse is either mummified - it dries out so much that it cannot decompose normally, or it is saponified - a fat wax is formed.

Mummification occurs naturally when a corpse is buried in very dry soil. The body is well mummified when there was severe dehydration during life, which was aggravated by cadaveric desiccation after death.

In addition, there is artificial mummification through embalming or other chemical treatment, which can stop decomposition.

Fat wax is the opposite of mummification. It is formed in a very humid environment, when the corpse does not have access to the oxygen necessary for rotting and decay. In this case, the body begins to saponify (otherwise called anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis). The main component of fat wax is ammonia soap. All subcutaneous fat, muscles, skin, mammary glands and brain are converted into it. Everything else either does not change (bones, nails, hair) or rots.

What happens to the body in the coffin after it is buried? This question is of interest not only to those who are interested in mysticism and anatomy. Almost every person on the planet often thinks about this. A large number of myths and interesting facts, which few people know. In our article you can find information that will allow you to learn more about what happens to the corpse throughout the time it is underground and above it.

General information about processes

Death is natural process, which, unfortunately, cannot yet be prevented. Today, how the body decomposes in a coffin is known only to those who have a medical education. However, detailed information about this process is also of interest to many curious people. It is worth noting that various processes occur in a corpse immediately after death. These include temperature changes and oxygen starvation. Already a few minutes after death, organs and cells begin to deteriorate.

Many people torment themselves with the thought of what happens in the coffin with the body. Decomposition, depending on many factors, can proceed in completely different ways. There are more than five processes that, due to certain circumstances, occur in a particular body. Surprisingly, the cadaverous smell is often artificially created by specialized organizations. This is necessary for training detection dogs.

Rotting and mummification

In our article you can find detailed information about what happens in a coffin with a human body after death. As we said earlier, there are more than five processes that can take place in a given corpse, depending on a wide variety of factors. Most known forms The development of the body after burial is rotting and mummification. Almost everyone has heard about these processes.

Rotting is a labor-intensive process that occurs in the body. As a rule, it begins on the third day after death. Simultaneously with rotting, the formation of a whole list of gases begins. These include hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and many others. It is for this reason that the corpse secretes bad smell. Depending on the time of year, the body may decompose slowly or quickly. At air temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, rotting of a corpse occurs within a maximum period of time. short term. If the body was not buried, its decomposition time on the surface of the earth is 3-4 months. When the rotting process comes to an end, only the bones remain from the corpse, and everything else turns into a mushy mass and eventually disappears completely. It is worth noting that everything that is released at this stage is absorbed by the soil. Thanks to this, it becomes unusually fertile.

What happens to a body in a coffin after death if it undergoes mummification? With this process, the corpse dries out completely. An interesting fact is that during mummification, the initial weight of the body decreases tenfold. As a rule, this process takes place in those corpses that have been in conditions of low humidity for a long time. Such places include an attic or, for example, sandy soil. A mummified corpse can be preserved for quite a long time.

There are only a small number of people who know what happens in a coffin with a human body after death. Nevertheless, this process interests many. In our article you can find out more detailed information about how the body develops after death.

Peat tanning and fat wax formation

The process of fat wax formation occurs if the corpse is buried in damp soil or has been in water for a long time. As a result, the body becomes covered with a fatty layer white, which has a specific and unpleasant odor. Often this process is also called saponification.

Not everyone knows what happens to a person’s body after death in a coffin after 2 months if he is buried in excessively wet soil. After 60 days, the corpse begins to crumble and has a white-yellow tint. If a person’s body is buried in peat soil or located in a swamp, the skin becomes dense and rough. It is worth noting that when tanned, the corpse acquires a brown tint, and the size of the internal organs is significantly reduced. Over time, the bones become soft and resemble cartilage in consistency. By the way, peat tanning can also occur due to the influence of certain factors. These include the temperature of the water and the presence of various microelements and chemicals in it.

The impact of living organisms on a human corpse

In addition to all the above factors, the human body can be destroyed by exposure to animals, insects and birds. Most likely, the body of the deceased is destroyed by fly larvae. Surprisingly, they are capable of completely destroying a corpse in just two months.

Other living organisms that consume the body of a deceased person are ants, cockroaches and carrion eaters. Termites are capable of turning a body into a skeleton in two months. It is no secret that in addition to insects, the human body can be eaten by dogs, wolves, foxes and other predatory animals. In a pond, the corpse is destroyed by fish, beetles, crayfish and other aquatic inhabitants.

Explosive coffins

Not everyone knows what happens to the person in the coffin. As we said earlier, some time after burial, various changes begin to occur with the body. Within a few hours, the corpse begins to release substances, including various gases. If the coffin was not buried, but was placed in a crypt, it may explode. Many cases have been recorded when relatives came to visit the deceased, and he detonated. However, this can only happen if the coffin is hermetically sealed and not placed in the ground. We strongly recommend that you be careful when visiting the crypts.

Self-destruction

What happens to the body in the coffin after death some time later? This question is asked not only by doctors and criminologists, but also ordinary people. Surprisingly, over a period of time the body absorbs itself. The thing is that in any organism there are millions of a wide variety of bacteria that do not cause any harm during life. First of all, after death, they completely destroy the brain and liver. This is due to the fact that these organs contain greatest number water. After this, the bacteria gradually destroy everything else. It is this process that is associated with the change in color of the skin of the deceased. Once the corpse enters the rigor stage, it becomes completely filled with bacteria. The time and process of self-destruction may differ depending on the set of microbes in a particular organism.

It is worth noting that some bacteria can only be present in the body at a certain stage of decomposition and putrefaction. Surprisingly, under the influence of microorganisms, the tissues of the deceased turn into gases, salts and various substances. By the way, all these microelements have a beneficial effect on the composition of the soil.

Larvae

In our article you can find out what happens to the body in the coffin after exposure to the larvae. As we said earlier, in addition to bacteria and other microorganisms, tissues and internal organs are also consumed by insects, animals and birds.

After the self-destruction stage ends, the larvae begin to destroy the corpse. Surprisingly, a female fly is capable of laying about 250 eggs at a time. It is no secret that the body of the deceased emits a pungent and unpleasant odor. It attracts insects that lay large numbers of eggs on the body. Within a day they turn into larvae. Surprisingly, just three flies can devour a corpse with the same speed as a tiger or lion.

The location of certain soil elements or certain microorganisms in the body allows forensic scientists to find out where a person died or was killed. They also claim that in the near future it is the bacterial set of a corpse that may become a new “weapon” for solving many crimes.

Soul of man

Some people think they know what happens to the body in the coffin. They claim that after some time the soul leaves the flesh of the deceased, and when dying, a person sees everything that the living do not see. They also believe that the first three days after death are the most difficult for the deceased. The thing is that for 72 hours the soul is still near the body and is trying to return back. She leaves as soon as she sees the face and body change. After this happens, the soul rushes from home to grave for seven days. In addition, she mourns her body.

At the end of seven days the soul goes to a place of peace. After this, she only occasionally lowers herself to the ground to look at her body. Some believe that they know what happens to the body and soul in the coffin. However, it is impossible to prove that the spirit actually leaves the flesh.

Diamond production

Death is hard enough to bear loved one. It is even difficult for some to imagine what happens in the coffin with the body. Often people cremate their deceased relatives or even build a crypt for them right in the yard. Recently, a technology invented by American specialists has been gaining particular popularity. Surprisingly, they create diamonds from the ashes and hair of a deceased person. American experts believe that this is an excellent way to preserve the memory of the deceased. Today, similar technology is used all over the world. As we said earlier, diamonds can also be made from the hair of the deceased. Today this procedure is extremely popular. Few people know, but quite recently a company that produces such jewelry was ordered to make diamonds from Michael Jackson’s hair.

It is worth noting that gems can be created from dust due to what it contains carbon dioxide. The cost of such a service in America is 30 thousand dollars. Many believe that one should not torment oneself with the thought of what happens in the coffin with the body. They argue that it is better to preserve only good memories of the deceased.

Love after death

Everyone deals with the death of a loved one completely differently. There are many cases where people did not bury the deceased, but left him in their house, hiding it. It is known that the man’s wife died, but he did not want to bury her body because he could not let her go because of his great love. Surprisingly, he ordered a transparent coffin and placed his beloved in it, after pouring a special liquid into it. He then built a coffee table out of the coffin.

Another case of strange treatment of a corpse occurred in America. There the woman decided to make a stuffed animal of her husband. She set aside an entire room in the basement for the corpse. There she placed furniture and her husband’s favorite things. She sat the corpse on a chair. The woman often visited him, told him how her day went and asked for advice.

There used to be a kind of tradition. If a person did not find a partner during his lifetime, then he was married after death. It was believed that if this is not done, the soul of the deceased will not find a place for itself and will wander forever.

This tradition existed in Russia as well. If a girl died unmarried, then she was dressed in Wedding Dress and they chose a guy who should follow the coffin to burial. It was believed that thanks to this the soul would find peace. It is worth noting that in some populated areas This tradition is still popular today.

IN ancient Egypt Necrophilia was widespread. This is no coincidence, because the Egyptians believed the myths according to which she impregnated herself with the help of the corpse of Osiris.

Let's sum it up

Death is a natural process. A large number of myths, guesses and interesting facts are associated with it. It's no secret that coping with the loss of a loved one is quite difficult. Because of this, some people become depressed and do not make contact with society. There are many cases when people begin to suffer mental disorder. As a rule, they do not bury their relatives, but leave them in the house, hiding it from neighbors and friends. In our article you found out what happens to the body in the coffin. The photos that we have selected will allow you to find out what happens to a person after death.

Death is a taboo subject for the vast majority normal people. The end of the road frightens us so much that we have created countless religions and beliefs designed to console, reassure, encourage...

Unable to accept a final verdict, people cannot completely eliminate death from their thoughts. The wisest thing, of course, is to take into account the brilliant saying of Epicurus. The Stoic quite reasonably remarked: “While I am here, there is no death, and when it comes, I will no longer be.” But stoicism is for the few. For everyone else, we decided to write a short, medically based guide to what happens to our bodies after we die.

Almost immediately after the moment of death, the body starts several irreversible processes. It all starts with autolysis, roughly speaking, self-digestion. The heart no longer saturates the blood with oxygen - the cells suffer from the same deficiency. All by-products chemical reactions do not receive the usual method of disposal, accumulating in the body. The liver and brain are the first to be used up. The first is because this is where most of the enzymes are located, the second because it contains a large amount of water.

Color of the skin

Then comes the turn of other organs. The vessels are already destroyed, so the blood, under the influence of gravity, goes down. The person's skin becomes deathly pale. This is exactly how mass culture represents the dead: remember pale vampires and zombies attacking defenseless beauties from dark corners. If the directors tried to make the picture more believable, they would have to show that the rear of the dead aggressor is dark from accumulated blood.

Temperature in the ward

Nothing functions and the body temperature begins to gradually decrease. Cells do not receive the usual dose of energy, protein threads become immobile. Joints and muscles acquire a new property - they become rigid. Then rigor mortis sets in. Eyelids, jaws and neck muscles They give up at the very beginning, then everything else comes.

Who lives in the house

IN dead body There is no longer a person, but there is a completely new, corpse-like ecosystem. Actually, most of the bacteria that make it up lived in the body before. But now they begin to behave differently, in accordance with the changed conditions. We can say that life continues in our body - but our consciousness no longer has anything to do with it.

Molecular death

The decomposition of the human body is an unpleasant sight for most normal (and still living) individuals. Soft fabrics disintegrate into salts, liquids and gases. Everything is almost like in physics. This process is called molecular death. At this stage, the decomposition bacteria continue their work.

Unpleasant details

The gas pressure in the body increases. Blisters appear on the skin as the gas tries to escape. Whole flaps of skin begin to slide off the body. Usually all accumulated decomposition products find their way natural way outward - the anus and other openings. Sometimes the gas pressure increases so much that it simply ruptures the former person’s stomach.

Return to roots

But even this is not the end of the process. A dead body lying on the bare ground literally returns to nature. Its liquids flow into the soil, and insects spread bacteria around. Criminologists have a special term: “island of cadaveric decomposition.” He describes a patch of soil generously, um, fertilized with a dead body.

As it says medical encyclopedia, death is an irreversible cessation of the body’s vital activity, natural and inevitable final stage his individual existence. In warm-blooded animals and humans, it is primarily associated with a complete stop of breathing and blood circulation.

In fact, death can consist of several stages and terminal conditions. And the signs of biological death (when everything physiological processes ceased in cells and tissues) were constantly refined with the development of medicine. This question is vital in the truest sense of the word. And the point is not that a person can be buried alive (in our time this is difficult to imagine, but in the past it happened regularly) - the exact confirmation of death determines when it is possible to stop resuscitation measures, as well as to remove organs for their further transplantation. That is, saving someone's life.

What happens to the body when all vital processes stop? The brain cells are the first to die. They are most sensitive to lack of oxygen. However, some nerve cells are able to live so long that scientists are not entirely sure whether such a person should be considered dead? After all, he seems to continue to perceive something and (who knows!), perhaps, think!

Swedish scientists from the Karolinska Institute conducted research and came to the conclusion: the brain activity of the deceased fluctuates greatly. Either it is near zero, which indicates death has occurred, then it suddenly rises to a value corresponding to the state of wakefulness. And then it falls again. What happens in the brain of the deceased remains unclear. It is possible that he has some thoughts and feelings even after his heart has stopped beating.

Scientists suggest that the nerve cells of the brain at this moment emit the last impulse. This also explains the phenomenon of experiences in a state clinical death- a feeling of flight, light at the end of the tunnel, a meeting with a higher being, etc. “It is unlikely that a person is conscious during such brain activity,” says researcher from the Karolinska Institutet Lars Ohlsson.“The only people who have come close and can say anything about it are those who have experienced near-death experiences.” And according to believers, the outbreak brain activity corresponds to the moment when the soul of the deceased leaves the body.

If it is not possible to ask the deceased what he is thinking about, then seeing his movements and hearing sounds is quite possible. The fact is that after death the body twitches for a couple of seconds and spasms occur in it. The muscles then relax, returning to their original state, and this may be perceived as moving or twitching of the limbs. There have been cases when a person gave up the ghost, and his rib cage moved, giving the impression that he was still breathing. The reason is that after death nervous system sends for some time spinal cord signals “by inertia”.

Sometimes the dead make strange sounds, which, of course, horrifies the relatives and those who have gathered to see him off. last way. These sounds sound like a groan, a whistle, a sigh, or a strangled cry. There is no mysticism here: the body of every person is filled with liquids and gases. Once the body begins to decompose, additional gases are created that need an outlet. They find it through the trachea. Hence the sounds.

There is even “inappropriate behavior” on the part of deceased men, when those present notice they have an erection. The awkwardness and bewilderment are understandable, but so is the phenomenon itself. After the heart stops, blood can move to the pelvis and cause temporary swelling of the penis.

Unravel - and overcome!

The human body is home to a huge number of bacteria - scientists count about 10 thousand of their species, and the mass of these microorganisms can reach 3 kg. When with our last breath it ceases to function the immune system, these countless hordes of “little friends” are no longer restrained by anything. The microflora begins to devour the deceased from the inside. Bacteria move freely throughout the body, consume the intestines, and then the surrounding tissues, invade blood capillaries digestive system And The lymph nodes. They penetrate first into the liver and spleen, and then into the heart and brain.

Simultaneously with the activity of microbes, the formation of cadaveric spots occurs - they appear where stopped blood settles in the tissues. After 12-18 hours, the spots reach their maximum coverage, and after a few days they become dirty green. But it turns out that at the same time some parts of the deceased’s body remain quite viable.

For example, even though the heart has stopped long ago, its valves may still be intact. The fact is that they have cells connective tissue who live long. This means that heart valves can be used for transplantation. And this is after one and a half days after death!

The cornea, the most convex transparent part, lives even longer. eyeball. It turns out that it can be used in medical purposes within 3 days after the person died. The reason is that the cornea is in direct contact with the air and receives oxygen from it.

All these facts indicate: human body dies not at one moment, but gradually. And death as a biological phenomenon - despite the fact that we don’t really like to think and talk about it - is still fraught with many mysteries. Who knows, maybe by solving them we will overcome death itself?

A funeral is a place where the spirit of the deceased is present, where the living and the afterlife come into contact. At a funeral you should be extremely careful and careful. It’s not for nothing that they say that pregnant women should not go to funerals. It is easy to drag an unborn soul into the afterlife.

Funeral.
According to Christian rules, the deceased should be buried in a coffin. In it he will rest (keep) until the future resurrection. The grave of the deceased must be kept clean, respectful and orderly. After all, even the Mother of God was placed in a coffin, and the coffin was left in the grave until the day when the Lord called His Mother to Himself.

The clothes in which a person died should not be given to either one’s own or strangers. Mostly it is burned. If relatives are against this and want to wash their clothes and put them away, then that is their right. But it should be remembered that under no circumstances should these clothes be worn for 40 days.

CAUTION: FUNERAL...

The cemetery is one of the dangerous places; damage is often caused in this place.

And often this happens unconsciously.
Magicians recommend keeping several in memory practical advice and warnings, then you will be reliably protected

• A woman came to one healer and said that after, on the advice of a neighbor, she threw out the bed of a deceased woman (sister), serious problems began in her family. She shouldn't have done that.

• If you see the deceased in a coffin, do not mechanically touch your body - tumors may appear that will be difficult to cure.

• If you meet someone you know at a funeral, greet them with a nod rather than a touch or handshake.

• While there is a dead person in the house, you should not wash the floors or sweep them, as this can bring disaster to the whole family.

• To preserve the body of the deceased, some recommend placing needles crosswise on his lips. This will not help preserve the body. But these needles can fall into the wrong hands and will be used to cause damage. It is better to put a bunch of sage grass in the coffin.

• For candles you need to use any new candlesticks. It is especially not recommended to use dishes from which you eat for candles at a funeral, even used empty cans. It’s better to buy new ones, and once you’ve used them, get rid of them.

• Never put photographs in a coffin. If you listen to the advice “so that he himself does not exist” and bury a photo of the entire family with the deceased, then soon all the photographed relatives risk following the deceased.

source

FUNERAL SIGNS AND RITUALS.

There are many beliefs and rituals associated with the death and subsequent burial of the deceased. Some of them have survived to this day. But do we suspect them? true meaning?
According to Christian custom, the dead person should lie in the grave with his head to the west and feet to the east. This is how, according to legend, the body of Christ was buried.
Even in relatively recent times, there was a concept of a “Christian” death. It implied mandatory repentance before death. In addition, cemeteries were established at church parishes. That is, only members of this parish could be buried in such a graveyard.

If a person died “without repentance” - say, took his own life, became a victim of murder or an accident, or simply did not belong to a particular parish, then a special burial order was often established for such deceased. For example, in big cities they were buried twice a year, on the feast of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary and on the seventh Thursday after Easter. The storage of such remains was reserved special places, called Poor Houses, pitiful houses, riots, rotting places or poor women . They set up a barn there and built a huge common grave in it. The bodies of those who died a sudden or violent death were brought here - of course, provided that there was no one who could take care of their burial. And at that time, when there was no telephone, telegraph or other means of communication, the death of a person on the road could mean that his loved ones would never hear from him again. As for wanderers, beggars, and executed people, they automatically fell into the category of “clients” of the Poor Houses. Suicides and robbers were also sent here.
During the reign of Peter I, dissected corpses from hospitals began to be brought to the poor houses. By the way, illegitimate children and orphans from shelters kept at Poor Houses were also buried there - this was the practice then... The dead were guarded by a guard called "God's house" .
In Moscow there were several similar “corpse storage facilities”: for example, at the Church of St. John the Warrior, on the street, which was called Bozhedomka , at the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God on Mogiltsy and at the Pokrovsky Monastery on Poor Houses. On the appointed days they arranged procession with a memorial service. The burial of “those who died without repentance” was carried out using donations from pilgrims.
Such a terrible practice was stopped only at the end of the 18th century, after Moscow was subjected to a plague epidemic and there was a danger of the infection spreading through unburied corpses... Cemeteries appeared in cities, and the burial procedure at church parishes was abolished. There were also many customs, signs and rituals, concerning the departure of the deceased on his last journey. Among the Russian peasants, the deceased was placed on a bench, with his head in "red corner" where the icons hung, they were covered with a white canvas (shroud), their hands were folded on their chest, and the dead man had to “hold” in right hand white handkerchief. All this was done so that he could appear before God in the proper form. It was believed that if the dead man’s eyes remained open, then this supposedly meant the imminent death of someone else close to him. Therefore, they always tried to close the eyes of the dead - in the old days, for this purpose, copper coins were placed on them.
While the body was in the house, a knife was thrown into a tub of water - this allegedly prevented the spirit of the deceased from entering the room. Until the funeral, no one was lent anything - not even salt. Kept tight closed windows and doors. While the deceased was in the house, pregnant women were not allowed to cross his threshold - this could have a bad effect on the child... It was customary to close the mirrors in the house so that the deceased would not be reflected in them...
It was necessary to put underwear, a belt, a hat, bast shoes and small coins in the coffin. It was believed that things could be useful to the deceased in the next world, and the money would serve as payment for transportation to the kingdom of the dead... True, at the beginning of the 19th century. this custom took on a different meaning. If during a funeral a coffin with previously buried remains was accidentally dug up, then money was supposed to be thrown into the grave - a “contribution” for the new “neighbor”. If a child died, they always put a belt on him so that he could collect fruits in the Garden of Eden in his bosom...
When the coffin was carried out, it was supposed to touch the threshold of the hut and the entryway three times in order to receive a blessing from the deceased. At the same time, some old woman showered the coffin and those accompanying with grains. If the head of the family - the owner or mistress - died, then all the gates and doors in the house were tied with red thread - so that the household would not leave after the owner.

They buried him on the third day, when the soul should have finally flown away from the body. This custom has survived to this day, as well as the one that instructs everyone present to throw a handful of earth onto the coffin lowered into the grave. The earth is a symbol of purification; in ancient times it was believed that it absorbed all the filth that a person had accumulated during his life. In addition, among the pagans, this rite restored the connection of the newly deceased with the entire family.
In Rus', it has long been believed that if it rains during a funeral, the soul of the deceased will fly safely to heaven. Like, if the rain cries for a dead man, it means he was a good man…
Modern wakes were once called funeral feasts. This was a special ritual designed to facilitate the transition to another world. For the funeral feast, special funeral dishes were prepared: kutya, which is hard-cooked rice with raisins. Kutya is supposed to be treated to a meal in the cemetery immediately after the burial. Russian funerals are also not complete without pancakes - pagan symbols of the Sun.
And these days, during wakes, they place a glass of vodka on the table, covered with a crust of bread, for the deceased. There is also a belief: if any food falls from the table at a wake, then you cannot pick it up - this is a sin.
On forties, honey and water were placed in front of the icons so that the deceased would have a sweeter life in the next world. Sometimes they baked from wheat flour a staircase the length of an arshin - to help the deceased ascend to heaven... Alas, now this custom is no longer observed.

The world is changing, and so are we. Many are returning to the Christian faith for consolation and hope. It has become customary to celebrate Christian holidays.
Christmas, Epiphany, Holy Trinity, Parents' Days... However, either out of ignorance or for other reasons, old traditions are often replaced by new ones.

Unfortunately, today there are no issues more shrouded in all kinds of speculation and prejudice than issues related to the burial of the dead and their commemoration.
What the all-knowing old ladies won’t say!

But there is appropriate Orthodox literature, which is not difficult to acquire. For example, in all Orthodox parishes of our city they sell
brochure "Orthodox Commemoration of the Dead", in which you can find answers to many questions.
The main thing that we MUST understand: deceased loved ones first of all need
in prayers for them. Thank God, in our time there is a place to pray. In each district of the city
Orthodox parishes have been opened and new churches are being built.

This is what is said about the funeral meal in the brochure “Orthodox Commemoration”
deceased:

IN Orthodox tradition eating food is a continuation of worship. Since early Christian times, relatives and acquaintances of the deceased gathered together on special days of remembrance in order to ask the Lord in joint prayer for a better fate for the soul of the deceased in the afterlife.

After visiting the church and cemetery, the relatives of the deceased arranged a memorial meal, to which not only relatives were invited, but mainly those in need: the poor and needy.
That is, a wake is a kind of alms for those gathered.

The first dish is kutya - boiled wheat grains with honey or boiled rice with raisins, which are blessed at a memorial service in the temple.

There should be no alcohol at the funeral table. The custom of drinking alcohol is an echo of pagan funeral feasts.
Firstly, Orthodox funerals are not only (and not the main thing) food, but also prayer, and prayer and a drunken mind are incompatible things.
Secondly, on the days of remembrance, we intercede with the Lord for the improvement of the afterlife fate of the deceased, for the forgiveness of his earthly sins. But will the Supreme Judge listen to the words of drunken intercessors?
Thirdly, “drinking is joy of the soul.” And after drinking a glass, our mind scatters, switches to other topics, grief for the deceased leaves our hearts, and quite often it happens that by the end of the wake, many forget why they gathered - the wake ends with an ordinary feast with a discussion of everyday problems and political news, and sometimes worldly songs.

And at this time, the languishing soul of the deceased waits in vain for prayerful support from his loved ones. And for this sin of unmercifulness towards the deceased, the Lord will exact from them at His judgment. What, compared to this, is condemnation from neighbors for the absence of alcohol at the funeral table?

Instead of the common atheistic phrase “May he rest in peace,” pray briefly:
“O Lord, rest the soul of Your newly departed servant (name), and forgive him all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.”
This prayer must be performed before starting the next dish.

There is no need to remove forks from the table—there is no point in doing so.

There is no need to place cutlery in honor of the deceased, or even worse, place vodka in a glass with a piece of bread in front of the portrait. All this is the sin of paganism.

Particularly a lot of gossip is caused by curtaining mirrors, supposedly in order to avoid the reflection of the coffin with the deceased in them and thereby protect against the appearance of another deceased in the house. The absurdity of this opinion is that the coffin can be reflected in any shiny object, but you can’t cover everything in the house.

But the main thing is that our life and death do not depend on any signs, but are in the hands of God.

If the funeral takes place in fast days, then the food should be lean.

If the commemoration took place during Lent, then commemorations are not held on weekdays. They are moved to the next (forward) Saturday or Sunday...
If the memorial days fell on the 1st, 4th and 7th weeks of Lent (the strictest weeks), then the closest relatives are invited to the funeral.

Memorial days falling on Bright Week (the first week after Easter) and on Monday of the second Easter week are transferred to Radonitsa - Tuesday of the second week after Easter (Parents' Day).

Funerals on the 3rd, 9th and 40th days are organized for relatives, relatives, friends and acquaintances of the deceased. You can come to such funerals to honor the deceased without an invitation. On other days of remembrance, only the closest relatives gather.
It is useful these days to give alms to the poor and needy.