Entire History Vocabulary

Question 1

funeral rite that is adjusted to the needs and wants of those directly involved; altered to suit the trends of the times

Answer 1

adaptive funeral

Question 2

organization with responsibility to accredit funeral service and mortuary science programs

Answer 2

American Board of Funeral Service Education

Question 3

a national trade association representing the major granite and marble memorial manufacturers and quarries throughout the United States

Answer 3

American Monument Association

Question 4

early Roman view of the afterlife which emphasizes the soul as the vital principle. The soul at death hovered around the place of burial and required constant attention of the descendants to be happy. Neglect would bring evil upon them

Answer 4

animistic view

Question 5

human shaped; some early coffins were described as anthropoidal shaped

Answer 5

anthropoid

Question 6

Egyptian god of embalming said to be of human form with the head of a jackal

Answer 6

Anubis

Question 7

the sole trade permitted to embalm and perform anatomical dissections in the city of London

Answer 7

barber-surgeon

Question 8

forerunner of today’s hearse; a hand stretcher on which the uncoffined body was carried to the grave

Answer 8

bier

Question 9

belief or practice of draining a quantity of blood to cure illness or disease

Answer 9

bloodletting

Question 10

generic term used in America to designate all burial receptacles as new variations of the coffin were being offered

Answer 10

burial case

Question 11

organizations intended to assist people of the working classes, particularly guild members, to defray the heavy expenses of the funeral and to perpetuate the memory of dead friends; costs were shared by others via weekly collections; were the forerunners of industrial insurance

Answer 11

burial club

Question 12

required that woolen cloth be substituted for linen in the shroud and lining of the coffin; was an attempt to shift the use of imported linen to the expanding paper industry of England and provide customers for the wool industry. Heavy fines were assessed for violation; not repealed until 1814

Answer 12

Burial in Woolen Act of 1666

Question 13

outer enclosure for caskets placed in the grave; originally intended to prevent grave robbery

Answer 13

burial vault

Question 14

jars made of alabaster, limestone, basalt, clay and other materials used by the early Egyptians to store viscera of the deceased

Answer 14

Canopic Jars

Question 15

from the French term ‘casse’ meaning ‘jewel box’ or container for something valuable; came into dominant use in patent literature for burial receptacles in 1890’s in America; a rigid container which is designed for the encasement of human remains and which is usually constructed of wood, metal, fiberglass, plastic, or like material, and ornamented and lined with fabric. (FTC definition); A case or receptacle in which human remains are placed for protection, practical utility, and a suitable memory picture; Any box or container of one or more parts in which a dead human body is placed prior to interment, entombment, or cremation which may or may not be permanently interred, entombed, or cremated with the dead human remains

Answer 15

casket

Question 16

represents the interests of funeral service suppliers; its members manufacture or distribute virtually every type of product used by funeral directors (formerly known as Casket Manufacturers Association)

Answer 16

Casket & Funeral Supply Association of America (CFSAA)

Question 17

originated in ancient Rome as excavated cemeteries cut out of soft rock for the tombs of wealthy Christians; later became a place for religious rites to avoid persecution

Answer 17

catacombs

Question 18

raised platform (with or without a canopy) used for a body to lie in state

Answer 18

catafalque

Question 19

the oldest and largest Catholic cemetery association servicing Catholic cemeterians nationally and internationally

Answer 19

Catholic Cemetery Conference

Question 20

a report published in 1843 on unsanitary conditions in London created by intramural burials and the high cost of funerals; recommended use of a death certificate

Answer 20

Chadwick’s Report

Question 21

ancient Egyptian belief that the soul of the deceased would make a 3000 year journey and return to the body. Once reunited the whole man would live with the gods. This belief created the need for embalming

Answer 21

Circle of Necessity

Question 22

from the Greek word ‘kofinos’; utilitarian container designed to hold human remains, often anthropoidal in shape

Answer 22

coffin

Question 23

portable table on which the deceased was placed and used in conjunction with the corpse cooler; later became the embalming table when embalming was done in the home of the deceased

Answer 23

cooling board

Question 24

type of ice chest placed over the torso of the deceased in order to slow down the process of decomposition prior to the funeral. It was typically the undertaker’s responsibility to provide ice and change the ice when it melted

Answer 24

corpse cooler

Question 25

historic term for funeral procession

Answer 25

cortege

Question 26

the reduction of a dead human body to inorganic bone fragments by intense heat in a specifically designed retort or chamber; a heating process which incinerates human remains

Answer 26

cremation

Question 27

Founded in 1913, CANA is an international organization of cemeterians, cremationists, funeral directors, industry suppliers and consultants. CANA was originally formed to promote cremation as a modern, safe and hygienic way of dealing with a dead human body

Answer 27

Cremation Association of North America

Question 28

English custom of Middle Ages which lasted until 19th century; person who walked the street calling out the name of the deceased and asking people to pray for the soul of the departed

Answer 28

crier

Question 29

master of ceremonies and director of the ancient Roman funeral procession

Answer 29

designator

Question 30

disposition of human remains without any rites or ceremonies with the body present

Answer 30

direct disposition

Question 31

traveling salesmen who went from town to town selling their products. Early embalmers often obtained their products and training in this manner.

Answer 31

drummers

Question 32

a life-sized, waxen recreation of the deceased; often used at state funerals because the body of the deceased should be present for the funeral, but could not be preserved for that length of time

Answer 32

effigy

Question 33

the version of heaven in Greek mythology

Answer 33

Elysian Fields

Question 34

burial outside the walls of the city; concept introduced during the ancient Roman times

Answer 34

extramural burial

Question 35

patented in 1848 as form-fitting, airtight metallic coffin designed to improve ability to preserve the body; also had a glass plate to allow for viewing of the face

Answer 35

Fisk metallic coffin

Question 36

Latin for torchlight procession; word ‘funeral’ is derived from this

Answer 36

funeralis

Question 37

in Middle Ages the wake also served as a feast to welcome the principal heir to his new estate; for the ancient Greeks, funeral feasts ended the fast of the bereaved

Answer 37

funeral feast

Question 38

promoted the study and use of cost accounting methods to foster the business interests of its members and to help dispel the aura of mystery that was felt to exist in the public mind regarding the business of funeral directing

Answer 38

Funeral Service Bureau of America

Question 39

a national organization which advances professionalism in funeral service and enhances public knowledge and understanding through education and research (formerly National Foundation of Funeral Service)

Answer 39

Funeral Service Foundation

Question 40

a specially designed train car run on a city’s trolley line to transport casket and mourners to cemeteries on the outskirts of the city

Answer 40

funeral trolley car

Question 41

provided services of organizing and facilitating funeral details as an occupation; aka undertaker, different from furnishing undertaker

Answer 41

funeral undertaker

Question 42

provided supplies and merchandise (i.e. door badges, carriages, etc.) to funeral undertakers who were dealing directly with the public

Answer 42

furnishing undertaker

Question 43

apparatus used to inject arterial fluid during the vascular (arterial) phase of the embalming process; relies on gravity to create the pressure required to deliver the fluid (0.43 pounds of pressure per foot of elevation)

Answer 43

gravity injector

Question 44

method to apply a continuous flow of embalming solution via manual manipulation of a handheld mechanism historical instrument resembling a large hypodermic syringe attached to a bottle apparatus; used to create pressure for injection or vacuum for
aspiration

Answer 44

hand pump

Question 45

today, a vehicle specially designed to transport casketed remains; derived from French word, herse; originally a stationary framework of wood to hold candles and decorations placed on the coffin; forerunner was a bier; hearse and bier were used interchangeably until mid-19th century; aka funeral coach

Answer 45

hearse

Question 46

disposition via earth burial without any form of funeral rite at the time of disposition with the body present

Answer 46

immediate burial

Question 47

international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, funeral service, cremation and memorialization profession

Answer 47

International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association (ICCFA)

Question 48

organization of licensing agencies in North America; provides examination services, information, and regulatory support to funeral service licensing boards, educators, and governmental bodies

Answer 48

International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (The Conference; ICFSEB)

Question 49

an organization of independent, family owned funeral homes established in 1928, whose mission is to build and support member interaction, information exchange and professional business development through a wide range of programs, services and resources; membership limited to one funeral home per community

Answer 49

International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR)

Question 50

a specialty connected with funerals in colonial America; called personally upon those expected to attend funerals; often a municipal appointment

Answer 50

inviter to funerals

Question 51

an association which guides, aids and supports members in honoring the deceased and comforting the bereaved by preserving, promoting and practicing the customs and traditions of the Jewish funeral

Answer 51

Jewish Funeral Directors of America (JFDA)

Question 52

became an occupational specialty practiced by women in many larger US cities by the end of the 18th century; predecessor to the undertaker

Answer 52

layers out of the dead

Question 53

formed in Middle Ages by laypersons to bury the dead and to pray for the souls of the faithful departed

Answer 53

leagues of prayer

Question 54

the ancient Roman goddess of corpses and funerals

Answer 54

Libitina

Question 55

head undertaker in ancient Rome; the secular role model for today’s funeral director; conducted his business at the temple of Libitina where death were also registered

Answer 55

libitinarius

Question 56

due to the fear of premature burial, many early American coffins were designed and patented with a method to alert the living if someone was buried alive

Answer 56

life signals

Question 57

ancient Viking custom; after deceased was placed in his boat with items necessary for the spirit to maintain the position held on earth, all was cremated and the pyre then covered with earth

Answer 57

mound burial

Question 58

an international trade association of persons and firms in the memorial industry

Answer 58

Monument Builders of North America

Question 59

religious/philosophical belief of the ancient Greeks and Oriental East emphasizing spiritual aspects of the afterlife and the hope of joining the cult god in a wonderful existence in eternity

Answer 59

mystery cults

Question 60

etablished in 1942 as an organization for privately sponsored schools with the goal of advancement of mortuary education

Answer 60

National Association of Colleges of Mortuary Science

Question 61

an organization of concrete burial vault manufacturers, whose purpose is to provide a unified voice for the concrete burial vault industry, and to continually research and develop, then specify and promote minimum performance standards

Answer 61

National Concrete Burial Vault Association

Question 62

the oldest and largest national association of funeral directors and embalmers organized in 1882, that provides advocacy, education, information, products, programs and services to help members enhance the quality of services to families

Answer 62

National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)

Question 63

organized in 1924 as the Independent National Funeral Directors Association (present name adopted in 1957); established to represent specific interests of African-American funeral directors

Answer 63

National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association

Question 64

a combination of salts found in dry lake beds of the desert and used by early Egyptians in preparation of bodies. Deceased covered in the product (sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and potassium nitrate) were dehydrated thus preventing decay

Answer 64

Natron

Question 65

literally means “city of the dead”; cemeteries located on the west bank of the Nile River, they included mortuary temples and residences of mortuary workers

Answer 65

Necropolis

Question 66

funeral rites or burial ceremonies

Answer 66

Obsequies

Question 67

a design introduced to square sided caskets in order to reduce the excess space and weight, particularly of metal caskets; characterized by an “S” shaped curvature; an “S” shaped molding that is a component part of the casket cap.

Answer 67

Ogee design

Question 68

Egyptian god of the underworld and judge of the dead

Answer 68

Osiris

Question 69

a follower of the polytheistic religion

Answer 69

pagan

Question 70

name of the ancient Roman embalmers. They were either slaves or employees of Libitinarius

Answer 70

Pollinctores

Question 71

aka crier, a special funeral functionary in ancient Rome who summoned participants to a public funeral

Answer 71

Preaco

Question 72

due to fear that the dead might be jealous, the ancient Romans and Greeks hired persons (often women) to shriek, tear their hair and rend garments, etc. in order to insure adequate display of emotion

Answer 72

professional mourners

Question 73

Catholic belief that those whose souls are not perfectly cleansed undergo a process of cleansing before they can enter heaven

Answer 73

Purgatorial Doctrine

Question 74

care of the deceased to recreate natural form and color. Joel Crandall, a New York City embalmer, is credited with developing the specialty in 1912, and is known as the “father of restorative art”

Answer 74

restorative art

Question 75

early Egyptians cut massive coffins from a single mass of stone to protect from grave robbers. Same term is applied today to massive copper and bronze caskets. Derivation of term is from Greek, sarco for flesh and phagus for eaters because when opened, bodies inside were found to be in a state of decay

Answer 75

sarchophagus

Question 76

a limited, invitation-only membership funeral service organization formed in 1917 on the basis of one member firm per city (formerly National Selected Morticians (NSM)

Answer 76

Selected Independent Funeral Homes (SIFH)

Question 77

church caretaker who had responsibility for church property, ringing of bells and digging of graves in the churchyard cemetery

Answer 77

Sexton

Question 78

mortuary fee paid to insure entrance of the decedent’s soul into heaven

Answer 78

soul shot

Question 79

casket designed for President Ulysses S. Grant by Stein Coffin Co. in 1885 which helped elevate acceptance of cloth-covered caskets

Answer 79

Style ‘E’ state coffin

Question 80

term originated when some of the original graduates of early embalming courses gave up regular employment with a single firm to provide embalming service to firms
which had no trained embalmer

Answer 80

trade embalmer

Question 81

long hollow tube patented in 1868 by Samuel Rogers of Philadelphia; used by embalmers to inject fluids into cavities and remove excess liquids

Answer 81

trocar

Question 82

original term applied to those whose occupation included responsibility to organize and facilitate funeral activities; used by some for the term funeral director

Answer 82

undertaker

Question 83

name given to the vehicle used by undertakers to transport the necessary mortuary paraphernalia to the homes where funerals were typically held. These vehicles sometimes had an appearance similar to a hearse, but were much less ornate

Answer 83

undertaker’s buggy

Question 84

first formal organization of undertakers; kept a black book of objectionable and delinquent customers to be shared among members only; originated in Philadelphia, January 1864

Answer 84

Undertakers Mutual Protective Association

Question 85

organization of college and university based funeral service programs established in 1961

Answer 85

University Mortuary Science Education Association

Question 86

originated as an ancient Hebrew practice, family and friends sit with the deceased as a precaution against premature burial; continued as an act of piety in Middle Ages (aka vigil for the dead)

Answer 86

wake