Omega Cremation Service, Manchester, NH

History of Cremation
605 Pine Street
Manchester, NH 03104
603 622-2829

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Scientists agree that history of cremation may go back as far as the early part of the Stone Age, around 3000 BC. Cremation customs traveled north across Europe to Russia.

In the early Bronze Age (2500-1000 BC) cremation also appeared in the British Isles, Spain and Portugal. Human ashes were found from these times in areas which are now Hungary, northern Europe and Ireland.

Around 1000 BC until the first century AD, cremation also became common in the rites of the Greeks. Following the Greeks the Romans adopted cremation around 600 BC.

From 27 BC until 395 AD, cremation was quite common. Beautifully decorated urns still survive, collected in buildings called columbaria.

Among the Jews and early Christians, however, it was more common to entomb the dead. Around 400 AD, after Constantine the Great had decreed that Christianity be the religion of the empire, cremating was nearly wiped out.

Cremating the dead was common everywhere in Nordic lands during the Viking Age. Evidence suggests that it was those who settled new territory in the Orkneys, Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands and Iceland, as well as in the Americas, who practiced cremation. Cremation was probably at times the most common method of funeral service in some parts of the Nordic countries, until the majority of people converted to Christianity.

The modern movement toward cremation has its origin in the 19^th century when the Italian professor Brunetti developed and perfected a furnace which was exhibited at the World's Fair in Vienna in 1873. In Great Britain in 1874 Queen Victoria's surgeon, Sir Henry Thompson, founded the Cremation Society of England. Europe's first modern crematorium was built in 1878 at Woking in England. At the same time another was being built in Gotha, Germany.

By this time the cemeteries in Europe had become crowded as cities grew. Space was slowing depleting. Supporters of cremation, who wished to ban burials inside populated areas, campaigned for incinerating the dead. They saw this as the only way to ensure sanitation and minimize health risks after deaths. Technological advances at the end of the 19^th century gave engineers the possibility of designing efficient furnaces which incinerated bodies automatically and without extra fuel.

The first crematorium in the United States was established in Pennsylvania in 1876. The practice was promoted by the Protestant clergy and doctors who, like their colleagues in Europe, wanted to improve sanitation in funeral customs.

As cremation became firmly rooted in most European countries, the Catholic Church and its leaders voiced opposition to the practice. The Pope banned all cremation among Catholics in 1886. This ban lasted until 1964. Cremation also met opposition in such non-Catholic countries as Sweden.

Recent surveys show an increase in cremation worldwide. The highest ratio in Europe is the Czech Republic, where over 72% of those dying are cremated. Britain is at 71% with the United States at 27%. On a world scale Japan has the most cremations with 99% of all funerals. Cremation is also increasing in the Nordic countries as well. They make up Denmark with 69%, followed by Sweden with 65%, Norway with 30%, Finland with 20% and a bit less in Iceland with 12%.

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	History of Cremation	605 Pine Street Manchester, NH 03104 603 622-2829
Contact us

Scientists agree that history of cremation may go back as far as the early part of the Stone Age, around 3000 BC. Cremation customs traveled north across Europe to Russia.

In the early Bronze Age (2500-1000 BC) cremation also appeared in the British Isles, Spain and Portugal. Human ashes were found from these times in areas which are now Hungary, northern Europe and Ireland.

Around 1000 BC until the first century AD, cremation also became common in the rites of the Greeks. Following the Greeks the Romans adopted cremation around 600 BC.

From 27 BC until 395 AD, cremation was quite common. Beautifully decorated urns still survive, collected in buildings called columbaria.

Among the Jews and early Christians, however, it was more common to entomb the dead. Around 400 AD, after Constantine the Great had decreed that Christianity be the religion of the empire, cremating was nearly wiped out.

Cremating the dead was common everywhere in Nordic lands during the Viking Age. Evidence suggests that it was those who settled new territory in the Orkneys, Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands and Iceland, as well as in the Americas, who practiced cremation. Cremation was probably at times the most common method of funeral service in some parts of the Nordic countries, until the majority of people converted to Christianity.

The modern movement toward cremation has its origin in the 19^th century when the Italian professor Brunetti developed and perfected a furnace which was exhibited at the World's Fair in Vienna in 1873. In Great Britain in 1874 Queen Victoria's surgeon, Sir Henry Thompson, founded the Cremation Society of England. Europe's first modern crematorium was built in 1878 at Woking in England. At the same time another was being built in Gotha, Germany.

By this time the cemeteries in Europe had become crowded as cities grew. Space was slowing depleting. Supporters of cremation, who wished to ban burials inside populated areas, campaigned for incinerating the dead. They saw this as the only way to ensure sanitation and minimize health risks after deaths. Technological advances at the end of the 19^th century gave engineers the possibility of designing efficient furnaces which incinerated bodies automatically and without extra fuel.

The first crematorium in the United States was established in Pennsylvania in 1876. The practice was promoted by the Protestant clergy and doctors who, like their colleagues in Europe, wanted to improve sanitation in funeral customs.

As cremation became firmly rooted in most European countries, the Catholic Church and its leaders voiced opposition to the practice. The Pope banned all cremation among Catholics in 1886. This ban lasted until 1964. Cremation also met opposition in such non-Catholic countries as Sweden.

Recent surveys show an increase in cremation worldwide. The highest ratio in Europe is the Czech Republic, where over 72% of those dying are cremated. Britain is at 71% with the United States at 27%. On a world scale Japan has the most cremations with 99% of all funerals. Cremation is also increasing in the Nordic countries as well. They make up Denmark with 69%, followed by Sweden with 65%, Norway with 30%, Finland with 20% and a bit less in Iceland with 12%.