History - Glossary Flashcards
funeral rite that is adjusted to the needs and wants of those directly involved; altered to suit the trends of the times
adaptive funeral
organization with responsibility to accredit funeral service and mortuary science programs
American Board of Funeral Service Education
a national trade association representing the major granite and marble memorial manufacturers and quarries throughout the US
American Monument Association
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
animistic view
human shaped; some early coffins were described as ________ shaped
anthropoid
Egyptian god of embalming said to be of human form with the head of a jackal
Anubis
the sole trade permitted to embalm and perform anatomical dissections in the city of London
barber-surgeon
forerunner of today’s hearse; a hand stretcher on which the unconfined body was carried to the grave
bier
belief or practice of draining a quantity of blood to cure illness or disease
bloodletting
generic term used in America to designate all burial receptacles as new variations of the coffin were being offered
burial case
organizations intended to assist people of the working class, 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
burial club
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paper industry of England and provide customers for the wool industry; heavy fines were assessed for violation; not repealed until 1814
Burial in Woolen Act of 1666
outer enclosure for caskets placed in the grave; originally intended to prevent grave robbery
burial vault
jars made of alabaster, limestone, basalt, clay and other materials used by the early Egyptians to store viscera of the deceased
canonic jars
from the French term ‘casse’ meaning ‘jewel box’ or container for something valuable; came into dominant use in patent literature for burial receptacle in 1890s 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
casket
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)
Casket & Funeral Supply Association of America (CFSAA)
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
catacombs
raised platform (with or without a canopy) used for a body to lie in state
catafalque
the oldest and largest Catholic cemetery association servicing Catholic cemeteries nationally and internationally
Catholic Cemetery Conference
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
Chadwick’s report
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
circle of necessity
from the Greek word ‘kofinos’; utilitarian container designed to hold human remains, often anthropoidal in shape
coffin
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
cooling board
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
corpse cooler
historical term for funeral procession
cortege
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
cremation
founded in 1913; an international organization of cemeteries, creationists, funeral directors, industry suppliers, and consultants; originally formed to promote cremation as a modern, safe, and hygienic way of dealing with a dead human body
Cremation Association of North America (CANA)
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
crier
master of ceremonies and director of the ancient Roman funeral procession
designator
disposition of human remains without any rites or ceremonies with the body present
direct disposition
traveling salesmen who went from town to town selling their products; early embalmers often obtained their products and training in this manner
drummers
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
effigy
the version of heaven in Greek mythology
Elysian fields
burial outside the walls of the city; concept introduced during the ancient Roman times
extramural burial
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
Fisk metallic coffin
Latin for torchlight procession; word ‘funeral’ is derived from this
funeralis
in Middle Ages the wake also served as a feast to welcome the principle heir to his new estate; for the ancient Greeks, this ended the fast of the bereaved
funeral feast
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
Funeral Service Bureau of America
a national organization which advances professionalism in funeral service and enhances public knowledge and understanding through education and research
Funeral Service Foundation
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
funeral trolley car
provided services of organizing and facilitating funeral details as an occupation; aka undertaker, different from furnishing undertaker
funeral undertaker
provided supplies and merchandise (i.e. door badges, carriages, etc.) to funeral undertakers who were dealing directly with the public
furnishing undertaker
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)
gravity injector
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
hand pump
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; this and bier were used interchangeably until mid-19th century
hearse / funeral coach
disposition via earth burial without any form of funeral rite at the time of disposition with the body present
immediate burial
international trade association representing all segments of the cemetery, funeral service, cremation, and memorialization profession
International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association (ICCFA)
organization of licensing agencies in North America; provides examination services, information, and regulatory support to funeral service licensing boards, educators, and governmental bodies
International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (The Conference; ICFSEB)
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
International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR)
a specialty connected with funerals in colonial America; called personally upon those expected to attend funerals; often a municipal appointment
inviter to funerals
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
Jewish Funeral Directors of America (JFDA)
became an occupational specialty practiced by women in many larger US cities by the end of the 18th century; predecessor to the undertaker
layers out of the dead
formed in Middle Ages by laypersons to bury the dead and to pray for the souls of the faithful departed
leagues of prayer
the ancient Roman goddess of corpses and funerals
Libitina
head undertaker in ancient Rome; the secular role model for today’s funeral director; conducted his business at the temple of Libitina where deaths were also registered
Libitinarius
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
life signals
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
mound burial
an international trade association of persons and firms in the memorial industry
Monument Builders of North America
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
mystery cults
established in 1942 as an organization for privately sponsored schools with eh goal of advancement of mortuary education
National Association of Colleges of Mortuary Science
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
National Concrete Burial Vault Association
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
National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)
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
National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association
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
natron
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
Necropolis
funeral rites or burial ceremonies
obsequies
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
ogee design
Egyptian god of the underworld and judge of the dead
Osiris
a follower of a polytheistic religion
pagan
name of the ancient Roman embalmers; they were either slaves or employees of Libitinarius
pollinctores
aka crier; a special funeral functionary in ancient Rome who summoned participants to a public funeral
praeco
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
professional mourners
Catholic belief that those whose souls are not perfectly cleansed undergo a process of cleansing before they can enter heaven
purgatorial doctrine
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
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, for flesh and eaters because when opened, bodies inside were found to be in a state of decay
sarcophagus
a limited, invitation-only membership funeral service organization formed in 1917 on the basis of one member firm per city (formerly National Selected Morticians)
Independent Funeral Homes (SIFH)
church caretaker who had responsibility for church property, ringing of bells and digging of graves in the churchyard cemetery
sexton
mortuary fee paid to insure entrance of the decedent’s soul into heaven
soul shot
casket designed for President Ulysses S. Grant by Stein Coffin Co. in 1885 which helped elevate acceptance of cloth-covered caskets
style ‘E’ state coffin
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
trade embalmer
long hollow tube patented in 1868 by Samuel Rogers in Philadelphia; used by embalmers to inject fluids into cavities and remove excess liquids
trocar
original term applied to those whose occupation included responsibility to organize and facilitate funeral activities; used by some for the term funeral director
undertaker
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
undertaker’s buggy
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
Undertakers Mutual Protective Association
organization of college and university-based funeral service programs established in 1961
University Mortuary Science Education Association
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)
wake
