They are iconic indeed, but are Viking funerals legal? One aspect of a Viking funeral that we cant forget to consider is the possible trauma of seeing your loved ones body burned. Green burials are becoming more popular and aim to impact the environment as little as possible. 10 Things to Know, Traditional Funerals Are the New Alternative. Valuables are more likely to be split up in ownership than burned or buried with a body. As with any religion, prayer was a central part of invoking and worshiping the gods. These ceremonies only allow twelve funerals a year and are strictly regulated by the state of Colorado. Hi there! Not a great picture, or a great way to end up for that matter. Although the answer to this question depends on the specific community in Florida . Relevant Florida Statutes and Rules. (I mean, is burning a body on a pyre any stranger than burying it in the ground?). Required fields are marked *. The old ways, funeral pyres or ship burning, are not permitted. However, if you are an avid Scandiboo, then read on to find out just how you could organize a real Viking funeral. The general permit is published in the federal regulations at 40 CFR 229.1. So, some families really like the option of having access to ashes. Ive seen it, and its actually a gruesome process, he said. A Viking-style memorial service could be a special way to mark the life of someone you loved, after their funeral at a modern-day crematorium. Burning human remains releases toxic chemicals such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide gas, and particulate matter into the air. 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. And then theres the body itself. Cremation. This being said, you dont actually have to be buried on land. In this article, I'm going to list out several different messages you can send someone who is 40+ Comforting Bibles Verses To Read After A Miscarriage. "Although having a 'Hollywood style' Viking funeral would be logistically impossible and completely illegal, having an authentic Viking funeral is actually legal. There is yet to be a definitive answer to this question since it depends on the specific state laws. According to federal law, the crematory or the funeral home should instruct about the alternative containers. There has been some debate over whether or not Viking funerals which involve the burial of a human body and many items associated with that person, such as weapons, jewelry, and other valuables are legal in Florida. In these elaborate Viking funerals, vessels were filled with food, alcohol, and tributes. If your dream Viking funeral is based on a scene from a Kirk Douglas movie, its best that you stop reading now. If they went ahead and tried regardless, it is likely they would be fined heavily later, and even possibly prosecuted and imprisoned for it. So, burning a body outdoors in the United States is illegal in an attempt to keep us safe from harmful emissions. More traditional Viking burials like burying the body in a boat and burning the body on a funeral pyre are also illegal in most states. The Hollywood movie-style Viking funeral with the deceased placed on the deck of a longboat set out to sea and set ablaze is fiction, then and now. A simple burial may cost as little as $100 to $200, but a lavish funeral with numerous rites and goods could cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. About Us; Location; Contact (517) 543-2950; Search. Viking funerals could give people a real chance to save money and avoid dealing with a funeral director at all. 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. Where are Viking send offs legal? However, only a handful of such pyre services are allowed each year, and they're exclusively for Crestone residents. Even today, many identify with the earthy and brave warrior quality of our ancestors, the Vikings. When it comes to funerals and posthumous decisions, people are more frequently choosing options that are better for the environment. It is not true that the legislator has absolute power over our persons and property, Bastiat wrote in, . Viking Funeral & Burial Rituals. Depending on the source, you may have seen different ideas of a Viking funeral and how they performed it. But under certain circumstances, families can apply to the minister for Housing and . The ceremonies -- which have been depicted in 'Game of Thrones' and 'Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace . Viking funerals are illegal everywhere in the U.S., but there are two places in Colorado where you can burn people's remains outdoors. This means that the body must be burned rather than buried, and there must be some sort of ceremony or ritual associated with the funeral. Death; The modern version of a Viking funeral featuring a body burned in a boat at sea is illegal. Feel free to read this article before you go. Cremation ashes may be stored in a crypt, niche, grave, or container at home. Thats the only way we can improve. Cremation or burial on land or sea to emulate Viking funeral rites and customs is a real possibility in the USA. But in the Viking era, over 1,000 years ago, people knew that fire would burn the bodies away. While funeral directors are there to help, some people may prefer to deal with death privately. Therefore, it is necessary in the interest of the . I started this website to share my experience. But even if its just for the spectacle of the send-off, is a Viking funeral worth having? If you need clarification on what the law requires in your area, contact local authorities. Now it is legal in Colorado and Oregon, with bills going through legislation in California and New York. However, traditional Viking funeral customs remain illegal. Instead of fire arrows, which are hard to aim and certainly dangerous, use timer-based incendiaries or fireworks. So, this may not be the most green alternative to embalming and burial. However, the rules surrounding whats legal in international waters is hard to ascertain. The body cannot be deep-sixed nor can it be burned on the surface. People are commonly choosing green caskets, forgoing embalming, or selecting cremation for themselves or their loved ones. It is legal to have an authentic Viking funeral, even though it would be logistically impossible and completely illegal. 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. Our website is supported by our users. You can get away with having a drinking, feasting festival with friends and loved ones. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. 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. There is also concern that modern hygiene standards may not be appropriate for a funeral conducted 810 years ago when sanitation was less developed. A Hollywood style Viking funeral pyre on land is illegal in all but one US state. Search. A Viking burial generally included items that indicated wealth and status such as weapons, jewelry, and clothes so that the dead person would have everything they needed after death. At first glance, Viking funerals might seem like a strange practice. And people might want to think twice about open-air cremation, Pray said. Check out our link above if you want to learn more details about the costs of a funeral. It's currently legal in only two U.S. locations, both in Colorado. Contacts in EPA Regional Offices for burial at sea inquiries. The Vikings have not been active for a millennium, but Viking funerals still inspire a sense of awe and wonder. We actually do know what might have been said at a Viking funeral. The ship will sink, and if it sinks at sea or drifts out too far, it could cause a panic with the Coast Guard or local mariners. For the Vikings, things were no different. Its common for graves to sink when the dirt settles, or construction vehicles ride on top of them. This isnt a new idea, as many funeral homes allow for witness cremations or the ability to watch the cremation process for your loved one begin. According to the law, a legal cremation must take place at a certain temperature for a certain amount of time. However, its important to recognize that this type of funeral may not be ideal for everyone. 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). If someone was wealthy or important, however, they would be put into a boat that was buried, or put into a boat-shaped grave. A special funeral longboat would be constructed for the deceased to rest on. Save information for later by printing or sharing. Hogbacks were also used; stone depictions of longhouses which were used as grave markers to literally house the dead, usually for those who would not make it to Valhalla, but would want to be spared from the eternal cold of Hel. So, a Viking funeral wont give us the ashes were used to. The MPRSA general permit authorizes the transportation and burial at sea of non-cremated and cremated human remains in ocean waters under specified conditions. But the stuff of legends may be just that. These ceremonies usually occur at sea and involve burying a persons entire body (including their clothes) in a sealed concrete casket. That was enlightening to me. While we cant always predict how well react to something, its important to consider the possible trauma it may cause. There is at least one exception. 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. FuneralCompanion.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. However, you also don't want to put yourself and your family in a bad financial 10 Popular Sympathy Plants for a Funeral & Their Meaning. This would be done mainly for important figures. No human sacrificing, for one thing. It is not possible to say yes. Funeral Pyres & Open Air Cremation Is It Legal? 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. In Florida, there are no state laws that restrict where you may keep or scatter ashes. It's limited to no more than a dozen funerals annually. Cremated ashes can be disposed of at sea although a method that transgresses other laws would be problematic - in other word a burning raft in a bus. Legislature is weighing whether to make open-air cremation legal in Maine. While most bodies were cremated, the elite Viking fighters were given an even bigger goodbye. It's a way of sending off the dead that's still widely practiced in some parts of the world but there are only two sites in the United States where it's legal, both in Colorado, only one of them public. A meaningful, Viking-themed ceremony could also be arranged. And, for those that do, its more likely theyll die in the war they want to join. However, a lot of what we think we know about Vikings today sadly has in fact been fabricated over time. Lets talk more about Viking funeral customs and how you can represent them, even though theyre illegal in the USA. Once the cremation is over, the bones of the deceased are still in large pieces. After all, these fierce warriors were buried in shipwrecks full of treasures, and their gravesites have been uncovered throughout history. According to archeologist and Viking specialist Dr. Neil Price there are over 500,000 known graves from the Viking period. The Vikings would have kept their burials very simple and there wouldnt have been fancy caskets inside, so why not emulate them in this way and have a green funeral? And people might want to think twice about open-air cremation, Pray said. In the United States, open-air cremation is legal only in Crestone, Colorado, according to the US Funerals Online blog. However, in general, Viking funerals are legal in the United States as long as they adhere to local regulations and do not pose a public safety risk. A "Viking funeral" refers an ancient Norse funerary rite whereby the deceased's bodily remains and prized possessions are put to sea in a wooden boat that is subsequently ignited by a flaming arrow. From what we know today, Viking funerals complete with a flaming sendoff were rare but important occasions. It may surprise some, but Viking funeral ceremonies are not legal in the United Kingdom. In the United States, open-air cremation is legal only in Crestone, Colorado, according to the. All of the above information is provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, It is possible to have a Viking-style send-off with a small replica of a boat, and the cremated remains of the deceased.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'funeralcompanion_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_12',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-funeralcompanion_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'funeralcompanion_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_13',113,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-funeralcompanion_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0_1');.mobile-leaderboard-2-multi-113{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}, As mentioned above, however, ashes can only be placed in the ocean three nautical miles from land. While Viking funerals aren`t currently legal in all 50 states, that doesn`t mean they`ve never been tried or performed before just that it`s generally not allowed by law. charts across the openings of bays and rivers. However, others may react differently. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. I 'm about to give her a Viking funeral is, no worries great warriors and of. "While, in principle, cremation comes close to a Viking-style funeral, the regulations stipulate the type of facility, machinery and licensure/permitting that . There is a chance of cremation or burial on land or sea in the United States. In the . Not only did this pose a threat to public health, but it also caused significant environmental damage. 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. Adults and children alike may have a hard time watching their loved ones burn and disintegrate right in front of them. I hope that my articles and advice can make this process as easy and pain-free as possible. Viking funerals involve burying the deceased in a boat. The majority of Vikings either accepted burial in a family plot of a mound-yard or cremation via a funeral pyre. The ancient lines of these ships evokes a deep sense of . Viking funerals are iconic in movies and literature. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Viking funerals are famously colorful and dramatic but illegal in many countries. People from Scandinavia could be Norse, but the Norse were really the gods they worshiped. After all, why would anyone want to bury their loved ones at sea? However, only a handful of such pyre services are allowed each year, and theyre exclusively for Crestone residents. Fortunately there is one place in the US that allows the next best thing: funeral pyres on dry land (ala Darth Vader at the end of Return of the Jedi). This type of burial is scarce and difficult to obtain it is only permitted at a few designated locations around the U.K. coastline, and it requires strict adherence to specific rules (such as having a concrete casket). Once cremated, the bodys remains were most often buried in an urn. Some are monoliths, standing stones carved with runes and details of the person who died, or poems and songs dedicated to them. Though these Viking funerals seem fun to celebrate your loved ones life, theyre highly controversial and pose serious health risks for those participating. In the United States, open-air cremation is legal only in Crestone, Colorado, according to the US Funerals Online blog. Rather, well have pieces of bones to collect and decide what to do with. They followed the old traditions of pagan cults related to the Norse gods and myths. They have issued a general permit to authorize the transportation and burial of non-cremated and cremated human remains at sea, under specific conditions. They thought everything good and bad happened for a reason, so preparing for ones death meant accepting whatever fate awaited them with gratitude and hope for future happiness. It was good practice to dress the dead in new clothing so they could face the gods in their best vestments. Each ship is meticulously assembled by hand and each ship is unique. In some instances, viking funerals may be legal if they are conducted in accordance with local regulations. Unfortunately, this service is only extended to the residents of the local community in order to keep wait times and scheduling under control. There are many materials you can go for from wood to wicker, but cardboard seems the easiest and most accessible to most people. If you've seen "Game of Thrones", you're familiar with the concept: Lay . Viking funeral rites are a unique and popular form of burial that is still practiced in some parts of the world. It actually wasnt historically common for Vikings to burn bodies as they floated on the water. While Viking funerals arent currently legal in all 50 states, that doesnt mean theyve never been attempted or done before just that its usually not allowed by law. 13. Cemeteries take up a lot of land space here in the USA. Let us know if you liked the post. However, in most states, Viking funerals are considered illegal because they incorporate elements of paganism. To cap off the funeral and begin the next step of life the inheritance people would hold a feast called sjaund (Norse for seven) seven days after the death. Wind can carry away any ashes that remain, although therell still be some larger pieces remaining for collection. A Viking was buried with everything they would need for the afterlife. Cremating dead bodies on open-air funeral pyres may become legal in Maine. Burning a body releases harmful chemicals into the air that include more than just smoke. Part of the cremation process that many families enjoy is the collection of their loved ones ashes. "Unfortunately, the laws are pretty clear on what constitutes 'disposition' (the final place for a human body)," explains funeral director and funeral home owner Jeff Jorgenson. Lastly, a few words may be said about Ahmad Ibn Fadlan's famous description of a Viking funeral .Ibn Fadlan was a 10 th century Arab who was part of the embassy sent by the Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad to Volga Bulgaria (in modern day Russia). I cant say this for certain, but I suspect for much of American history the state didnt have much of a say in it. However, you can arrange an alternative way to conduct a Viking funeral. It was also said to be ruled by Odin (the god associated with war, death, wisdom, and magic), where heroes who had fought bravely in battle could live forever alongside him. Lets break down cremations and burials within Viking culture and why they limit them in the USA. link to Is Cremation Cheaper Than Burial: Full 2022 Cost Analysis, link to 10 Popular Sympathy Plants for a Funeral & Their Meaning. A viking funeral is not legal is many locations. . A Detailed Account of a Viking Funeral . This practice is also considered sacrilegious and could lead to criminal charges if performed in some states. Whether its the pop culture-influenced version of the Viking funeral or the traditional cremation process, its actually illegal in the USA. The Show-Me state is set to be the first in the country to fully legalize funeral ceremonies previously reserved for Vikings, some Native American tribes and Jedi . Lets clear this up right away. In order to perform a Viking-style funeral pyre, one will need a very high-temperature fire 1,000 Celsius (C) or 2,000 Fahrenheit (F). You go and how you could organize a real Viking funeral is not legal is many locations ive it! 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