"In order that [Alaric's] body might be saved from the gaze of the vulgar and the rage of his foes, he gave direction that it should be buried in the bed of the river Busentinus."—Ridpath, 1885

The Burial of Alaric in the Bed of the Busentinus

"In order that [Alaric's] body might be saved from the gaze of the vulgar and the rage of his foes,…

"And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it. And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him." Acts 5:5-6 ASV
<p>Illustration of three men carrying the body of Ananias to be buried. Two of the men wear head wrappings. Ananias is clothed in a long tunic.

The Body of Ananias is Taken to be Buried

"And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that…

"Chulpa or Burial Tower, Peru." — Encyclopedia Britanica, 1893

Burial Tower

"Chulpa or Burial Tower, Peru." — Encyclopedia Britanica, 1893

"Catacombs are caverns, grottoes, and subterraneous caves, destined for the sepulture of the dead. The name catacombs, according to Gregory, was at first applied to designate exclusively the cave in which the bodies of St. Peter and St. Paul were buried, and it was only at a later period that it came to be given to all the subterraneous passages which were used as public burying-places. "&mdash;(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Catacomb Grave

"Catacombs are caverns, grottoes, and subterraneous caves, destined for the sepulture of the dead. The…

Any box used to bury the dead in is a coffin. Use of the word casket in this sense began as a euphemism introduced by the undertaker's trade in North America; a casket was originally a box for jewelry.

Metallic Coffin

Any box used to bury the dead in is a coffin. Use of the word casket in this sense began as a euphemism…

Hernando de Soto (Jerez de los Caballeros, Badajoz, Spain, c.1496/1497–May 21, 1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who, while leading the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States, was the first European to discover the Mississippi River.

The Burial of de Soto

Hernando de Soto (Jerez de los Caballeros, Badajoz, Spain, c.1496/1497–May 21, 1542) was a Spanish…

"And after these things Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took away his body.

39 And there came also Nicodemus, he who at the first came to him by night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds." John 19:38-39 ASV
<p>Illustration of Jesus lying on the ground as his mother, Mary, weeps over him. Joseph of Arimathaea is removing the crown of thorns and Nicodemus is mourning behind Jesus' head. Three other women are also on their knees, mourning Jesus' death. The ground is wet with Jesus' blood.

Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross and is Attended by Mary, Joseph of Arimathaea, and Nicodemus

"And after these things Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the…

"So they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb wherein was never man yet laid. There then because of the Jews' Preparation (for the tomb was nigh at hand) they laid Jesus." John 19:40-42 ASV
<p>Illustration of Jesus' body being laid in the tomb after being wrapped in linens and anointed with oil and perfume. One man lowers Jesus' upper body into the tomb, while another holds a torch. Cloth is laid underneath him and flows down the sides of the sepulchre. A woman drapes herself over the body. His mother, Mary, and two other women huddle in the corner.

Jesus' Body is Prepared for Burial and Laid in a Sepulchre

"So they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the…

An illustration of a funeral procession.

Funeral Procession

An illustration of a funeral procession.

An ancient tomb constructed by the Greeks.

Grecian Tomb

An ancient tomb constructed by the Greeks.

The place where Andrew Jackson was buried in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Hermitage in 1861

The place where Andrew Jackson was buried in Nashville, Tennessee.

Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 &ndash; May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, and probably the most revered Confederate commander after General Robert E. Lee.

Grave of Thomas J. Jackson

Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general…

This sculpture by the great artist, Donatello, is of Carlo Marzuppini, an Italian chancellor from Florence, Italy. The body of Carlo Marzuppini is pictured laying in his tomb. The sculpture can now be found in Florence, Italy.

Monument of Carlo Marzuppini

This sculpture by the great artist, Donatello, is of Carlo Marzuppini, an Italian chancellor from Florence,…

"In 1840 Napoleon's body was removed from St. Helena, taken with great pomp to Paris, and deposited in a sarcophagus of red Finland granite under the gilded dome of the Hôtel des Invalides. Twelve colossal statues, representing the chief victories of Napoleon, surround the tomb, and between the figures are battleflags captured at Austerlitz. Two of the emperor's brothers are buried in adjoining chapels."—Webster, 1920

The Tomb of Napoleon

"In 1840 Napoleon's body was removed from St. Helena, taken with great pomp to Paris, and deposited…

A plague pit is the informal term used to refer to mass graves in which victims of the Black Death were buried. The plague which swept across Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, are estimated to have killed between one-third and two-thirds of Europe's population. Disposal of the bodies of those who died presented huge problems for the authorities, and eventually the normal patterns of burial and funerary observance broke down, usually during the most severe epidemics.

Plague Pits at Finsbury

A plague pit is the informal term used to refer to mass graves in which victims of the Black Death were…

"And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, while they were perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel:

5 and as they were affrighted and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?" Luke 24:3-5 ASV
<p>Illustration of three women finding an empty tomb when they come to see Jesus. One woman carries a jar. Another leans slightly over the empty tomb. Two angels stand at the end of the tomb, one holding an olive branch. The opening to the cave is uncovered and the lid to the tomb is off.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of James, and Salome Find Jesus' Empty Tomb

"And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, while they were…

The Tomb of Cyrus is the burial place of the ancient Cyrus the Great of Persia. Cyrus the Great was a Persian Shahenshah (or Emperor), who founded of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid dynasty. This empire thence expanded under his rule, as Cyrus eventually conquered the majority of Southwest Asia as well as much of Central Asia, from Egypt and the Hellespont to the Indus River in the east, to create the most expansive nation the world had seen up until that era.

Tomb of Cryus

The Tomb of Cyrus is the burial place of the ancient Cyrus the Great of Persia. Cyrus the Great was…