Wood Casket Fungus, Wood Classes- From Green Book Flashcards
Earliest manufactured wood coffins were discovered here.
Valley of the Nile
Nearly 1,000 years after wooden coffins were discovered in the Valley of the Nile, approximately 5,000BC is when these were constructed.
Pyramids
Wood casket developed from a short, almost square wood container, in which the human body was placed in a sitting position, into the long case fashioned on the lines much as we use today.
- Concept of using an inner and outer casket was observed by the Egyptians.
Interm between first wooden caskets and construction of pyramids.
Came upon the ruins of a city thought to be at least 6,000 ears old.
- Discovered tombs in which the bodies of the dead reposed in coffins made of wood.
1935 Scientists when Digging in the prehistoric mounds of Northern Mesopotamia
Feared future punishment if the dead were not properly honored.
- Turned to caskets of wood as a suitable means of showing their deepest respect.
- Beauty and lasting qualities of these wood caskets have made them noteworthy and historical.
Chinese
- Hardwood piles supporting the old London bridge found to be sound on removal after a service of more than 800 years.
- 600 years in the foundation of the old Savoy Hotel in London had no adverse effect on the wood piles which had supported that building.
- Wood piles also bore the weight of Waterloo Bridge in England for 120 years.
- Off the coast of Norway- vessel of wood in almost perfect condition of Norse King after being buried for over 1,000 years
Evidence of the service wood gives over long periods of time
For thousands of years, in every country and climate, this has been the preferred material for the burial of countless millions of people.
- Plays an important part in our lives
- When it is genuine it reflects warmth and beauty and harmonizes with home surroundings.
Wood
The wood of any broad-leveled tree as distinguished from a confier.
Hardwood
Evergreen trees and shrubs, including not only those of the Yew family, bearing a berry-like or drupaceous fruit.
Softwood
No definitive degree of _____ divides the hardwoods and the softwoods.
Hardness
- Cedar
- Cypress, Red
- Fir, Douglas
- Hemlock, West Coast
- Pine
- Redwood
- Spruce, Sitka
Softwoods
- Ash
- Basswood
- Beech
- Birtch
- Buckeye
- Butternut
- Cherry
- Chestnut
- Elm
- Gum
- Mahoganies
- Maple
- Oak
- Philippine Hardwood
- Poplar
- Walnut
- Locust
- Hickories
- Willow (Salix)
Hardwoods
These woods are very durable and have an estimated durability of approximately 25 years when in contact with the soil.
Class I Woods
- Cedars
- Cypress
- Red Wood
Class I Softwoods
- Chestnut
- Locust
- Walnut
Class I Hardwoods
These woods are durable and have an estimated durability from 10 to 20 years when in contact with the soil.
Class II Woods
- Duglas Fir
- Pine
Class II Softwoods
- Oak
- Mahoganies
- Willow
Class II Hardwoods
These woods are classified as being intermediate and have a relative durability from 8-15 years when in contact with the soil.
Class III Woods
- Douglas Fir
- Pine
Class III Softwoods
- Gum
- Oak
Class III Hardwoods
These woods are on the borderline and some may fall in class 3 and therefore cannot be definitely in Class 4. They have a relative durability of approximately 10 years when in contact with the soil.
Class IV Woods
- Hemlocks
- Pine, Lodgepole
- Spruces
Class IV Softwoods
- Ashes
- Beech
- Birtch
- Hickories
- Maples
- Poplar
Class IV Hardwoods
- Density: weight per unit volume
- might be expected to serve as a factor of durability, since it is dependent primarily on the amount of substance (cell wall) present in a given piece.
- Shows little or no correlations with decay resistance
- Decay resistance: influenced cheifly by the toxicity of the extraactivities present in the woods.
- Durability will increase with density although distinct variations in amount of the extractivities will have much more significant effect in determining decay resistance.
- With decay and other factors being equal, the heavier pieces of a given kind of wood may be expected to have longer service life than the lighter ones, when attacked by the same fungus.
Durability of Woods
- Northern white cedar and chestnut- rank higher on the durability (level of extractives)
- Beech and hickories- lower in extractives and less durable despite being denser woods
Example of Wood Durability
The wood extending from the center or pith to the sapwood the cells of which no longer participate in the life processes of the tree.
- May be infiltrated with resins and other materials which usually make it darker and more decay-resistant than sapwood.
Heartwood
The layers of wood next to the bark, usually lighter in color than the heartwood 1/2 inch to 3 inches or more wide that are actively involved in the life processes of the tree.
- Not essentially weaker or stronger than heartwood of the same species.
- Appearance
- Amount and kind of material contained
- The resistance of the material when buried in the earth
Today, the Merits of Caskets are Classified Primarily by:
Varies with the kind of wood and the particular design of the shell of the casket.
- Thickness of the wood varies; usually 3/4 and 7/8 inch stock is used, this again varying with the style and quality of the intended finished product.
Finished Appearance of the Casket