We actually do know what might have been said at a Viking funeral. You can be cremated, through your cremation of choice - In a crematorium or if you can arrange it legally, on an open-aired pyre in Crestone Colorado. I think has living standards have been rising since the beginning of the industrial revolution, there are more people with free time, and this gives busy-body types free-reign to get busy, too often to our detriment. The burial process involved a lot of symbolism, ceremony, and physical work, such as building a coffin from scratch. Simply place the cremated ashes into the hull of the boat and then have the send-off you have dreamed of! They usually call to the gods, call to the ancestors of the departed, or give praise to the life the warrior lived. This means that not only do people end up being burned alive (or buried alive), but their bodies also remain unburied until their ships sink and theyre eventually discovered and brought ashore as grave diggers/corpses. If they went ahead and tried regardless, it is likely they would be fined heavily later, and even possibly prosecuted and imprisoned for it. It is possible, although more complicated, to opt to be buried at sea or even possibly to instead have your ashes burned on a small-sized replica boat (Amazon). Its a flashy, impressive way to send off a loved one, especially if they lived and died for the glory of battle. Overall, a Viking funeral is an emotional experience that will help honor the life of your loved one and reflect their personality and beliefs onto the world they left behind. Many images used on this site are sourced from Canva.comif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'funeralcompanion_com-large-leaderboard-1','ezslot_23',104,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-funeralcompanion_com-large-leaderboard-1-0');report this ad, link to 67 Things To Message Someone Who Just Suffered A Miscarriage, link to 40+ Comforting Bibles Verses To Read After A Miscarriage, restrict the dumping of bodies into the ocean, Vikings were actually sent to the afterlife, Mark Hamilton makes with cremains by visiting his site here, he United States Environmental Protection Agency. The return of Viking funerals should come with a warning to adults and children who may witness it. Families can store these ashes, bury them, or even make unique jewelry from them. 10 Things to Know, Traditional Funerals Are the New Alternative. Not only do they cost a whole heck of a lot less, but they are also actually closer to the way that Scandinavians in the Viking age would have buried their dead.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'funeralcompanion_com-netboard-1','ezslot_17',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-funeralcompanion_com-netboard-1-0'); You can find out more about green burials in a more in-depth article I wrote here. Where pop culture took over the Viking funeral tradition was regarding cremations. With these significant changes over just the last decade, we can only assume those changes will continue. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. This means that you wont be able to collect all the ashes after the funeral is complete. It is not true that the legislator has absolute power over our persons and property, Bastiat wrote in, . This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. A lot can change over time for example, if your local government decides that burials at sea are no longer allowed, you will likely need to reconsider your plans. Manage Settings If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. There are no laws in Florida that prohibit home burial. It could be held anywhere, even outdoors in a garden or a forest. See also Is Germany Close To Canada? Thanks for reading The Take (by Jon Miltimore)! This is a much more reasonable funeral tradition, as you can do this in certain states. There are some ways to emulate a Viking burial in every state. While a Hollywood-style Viking burial is logistically impossible and completely illegal, an authentic Viking burial is actually legal. They need a lot of fire, and it needs to be extremely hot. Funeral; Grief; Death; Life; Archives. . Be informed. Your email address will not be published. Check! Continue with Recommended Cookies. In the United States, open-air cremation is legal only in Crestone, Colorado, according to the US Funerals Online blog. Indeed. A viking funeral is not legal is many locations. 7031 Koll Center Pkwy, Pleasanton, CA 94566. A Viking funeral can help families cremate their loved ones while still actively watching and participating in the event. Viking funerals are famously colorful and dramatic but illegal in many countries. They made up the bulk of free-roaming mercenaries for the northern seaboard countries of Europe at the time, from Denmark and Sweden all the way to Iceland. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. If youre planning on having one near your home, it would probably be best to check with local authorities to ensure everything goes smoothly. The deceased was usually cremated in a Viking funeral, and their remains were placed in an urn or casket. It was the gods who could potentially be tender to the newly departed souls, and therefore the gods needed to be appeased through prayer, song or tribute. The EPA has issued a general permit under the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) to authorize the burial of human remains at sea. Our website is supported by our users. So if I have my way, my last act of civil disobedience just might be a Viking funeral. Death; There is no one answer to this question, as the legal status of Viking funerals will vary depending on where in Europe you are. It's possible to buy miniature Viking-ship funeral ashes caskets, as well as stone and ceramic urns for cremains with Viking ship motifs. Heres everything you need to know about Viking funerals and how you can (sort of maybe) legally have your own Viking send-off. Placement of human remains in ocean waters within three nautical miles from shore. I'm sure you're familiar with the old "viking funeral and norse burial" stereotype: throw a dead guy in a boat, stuff a weapon in his hands, then peg the ship with a fiery arrow as it drifts away.. It may surprise some, but Viking funeral ceremonies are not legal in the United Kingdom. Whether its the pop culture-influenced version of the Viking funeral or the traditional cremation process, its actually illegal in the USA. In Florida, there are no state laws that restrict where you may keep or scatter ashes. Allow Necessary Cookies & Continue People are commonly choosing green caskets, forgoing embalming, or selecting cremation for themselves or their loved ones. Let us know if you liked the post. Thanks for writing this. Viking funerals are a beautiful and unique way to say goodbye to your loved ones, but they are controversial. So, this may not be the most green alternative to embalming and burial. That sounds fairly routine with the growing popularity of cremation in the United States, but luckily thats where the similarity between Vikings and American funerals ends.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'funeralcompanion_com-leader-2','ezslot_6',138,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-funeralcompanion_com-leader-2-0'); There are accounts too of human sacrifice. Related: 50 Beautiful Examples of Cremation Jewelry. Researchers expect cremations to keep steadily rising in the future. What Happens When You Die? That of course opens the door for unwanted things to be floating in our bodies of water that shouldn't be. Viking funerals in Canada require compromises. The ancient lines of these ships evokes a deep sense of . There are many materials you can go for from wood to wicker, but cardboard seems the easiest and most accessible to most people. Funerals in the Viking Age were elaborate affairs, with mourning families often spending ten days or more planning and executing their loved ones funeral. There were many such prayers, and across such a long span with such a widespread, decentralized culture, theres no one single prayer that covers the whole gamut of Viking funeral formality. One tradition was that of a Stone Ship, an arrangement of stones in the shape of a longboat if the sea was too far, or a real boat was unobtainable. As with any religion, prayer was a central part of invoking and worshiping the gods. Unfortunately, my wife isnt a fan of the idea, and even if she was, Id be out of luck because its illegal in all 50 states. If youre interested in learning more about this process or using it for your own family members burial, speak with an attorney or search online for resources specific to your location. Notably, Maine considered a bill thatd legalize open-air cremations in the state. The idea was sparked by an article I came across recently. . If we consider Viking funerals, we have to consider the smell. Did the Vikings really send their warriors out to sea on a flaming ship, an aquatic funeral pyre bound for Valhalla? They followed the old traditions of pagan cults related to the Norse gods and myths. Could Viking Funerals Become Legal in the USA? So, crematorium workers have to grind up the bones of the deceased to get the consistency of ashes that we see. The growing favoritism of cremation has changed the choices people have made when it comes to death and funerals. At this time the lights in the sky add to the mythos as guides to raise your eyes to the heavens. Search. The Vikings had a variety of funerary rituals that would differ depending on their status. The existence of persons and property preceded the existence of the legislator, and his function is only to guarantee their safety.. Blog. Answer (1 of 9): No burials at sea of any cadaver are allowed by law in England. In the United States, open-air cremation is legal only in Crestone, Colorado, according to the US Funerals Online blog. According to federal law, the crematory or the funeral home should instruct about the alternative containers. Death was an honored and welcomed part of life, and was celebrated as such in a number of ways. Each ship is meticulously assembled by hand and each ship is unique. Viking funerals involve burying the deceased in a boat. A Hollywood style Viking funeral pyre on land is illegal in all but one US state. Sometimes Viking chiefs could act as intermediaries with the gods. More often, the Vikings would bury their dead in large burial mounds as the ground in the area was too cold to dig a deep grave. So many people today simply assume the state has the right to dictate to us this and that. The popular conception of what are commonly called Viking funerals a flaming longship arent historically accuratesaid Joe E. Pray of Pray Funeral Home in Charlotte, Michigan. The Viking funeral custom dates back thousands of years and is believed to symbolize death as an event leading to a new life cycle. Ground penetrating rada r reveals more graves as its usage grows. When it comes to funerals and posthumous decisions, people are more frequently choosing options that are better for the environment. To the modern imagination, the Vikings conjure images of dragon-headed longships and the wild, and blonde, badass warriors who made them. If you've watched HBO's Game of Thrones, House Tully does it for their deceased patriarch.George R.R. Once cremated, the bodys remains were most often buried in an urn. Why does the state get to decide how we are buried or cremated? If youre interested in having a Viking funeral anyway, check with your local authorities first to see if its permitted under their jurisdiction. The modern version of a Viking funeral featuring a body burned in a boat at sea is illegal. A Viking was buried with everything they would need for the afterlife. Vikings believed that death wasnt necessarily bad it was simply another step toward rebirth. Cemeteries take up a lot of land space here in the USA. A send off at dusk will offer nice lighting and symbolically showcase the dusk of life. My hunch is most of these burial laws were passed in the Progressive Era, when politicians and populists decided they needed to regulate all kinds of behaviors and practices that traditionally had been beyond the purview of the state. Its become more gentle; some might say softer. They (Vikings) were more likely to drag the boat ashore and burn it on dry land with the chieftains body and his possessions inside, or just bury the entire boat without setting it on fire, Pray told Cowboy State Daily. My hunch is most of these burial laws were passed in. While most bodies were cremated, the elite Viking fighters were given an even bigger goodbye. So, it was common for Vikings to burn their loved ones. Cremation ashes may be stored in a crypt, niche, grave, or container at home. Are Viking funerals legal anywhere in the world? (I mean, is burning a body on a pyre any stranger than burying it in the ground?). Continue with Recommended Cookies. Bear in mind, too, that servants were property to these people. So, even if lawmakers decide to allow Viking funerals, we need to prepare ourselves and our children for any trauma that might arise from it. However, only a handful of such pyre services are allowed each year, and theyre exclusively for Crestone residents. The dead were usually buried with all their possessions, including weapons and other precious items. It was a product of its time. Crematoriums are seen as the safest option for cremation. The answer is quite simple. Whether you choose to cremate your loved ones or bury them on your property, theres no doubt youre saving a lot of money. If your dream Viking funeral is based on a scene from a Kirk Douglas movie, its best that you stop reading now. Being the marauding culture they were, war was a natural part of their life, and an equally natural way for them to die. The pagan Scandinavians acknowledged a pantheon of gods and spirits which could be called on in different situations. There is a chance of cremation or burial on land or sea in the United States. Cremation or burial on land or sea to emulate Viking funeral rites and customs is a real possibility in the USA." However, there is a little more to it than this. As we continue to progress toward a more green take on death, we can only hope to discover ways to honor our loved ones while protecting the environment, and a Viking funeral is a step in the right direction.