Unbundling ‘myths’ surrounding coffins

Philip Mataranyika

THE name “coffin” derives from the Greek word cophínos, meaning a container. The modern Italian word cofano, meaning a strong box or the boot of a car, has its roots in Latin and is a cognitive word.
In Medieval times Europe, the name was an occupational one and its first possessors seem to have been makers, or sellers of baskets or boxes.
Its original meaning has been lost over the years and it is now commonly accepted that cofano in Italian, cophinos in Greek or coffin in general English refers to the container or box used in the display or disposal of human remains. It (the coffin) can be used in any of the two methods of human disposal, cremation or burial.
Most people want to give coffins different names depending on their shapes, how they look like, colour or upholstery they contain.
They believe that a coffin should be a tapered hexagonal or octagonal box used for the display or burial of ordinary people, while the more affluent rectangular box ought to be called a casket because of its outward appearance and its upholstery.
This is just euphemism invented by the funeral service industry, because they are all coffins, regardless of the design, amount of upholstery they contain or shape.
Cultures that practice burial have widely different styles of coffins. In some varieties of orthodox Judaism, the coffin must be plain, made of wood and contain no metal parts or adornments.
These coffins use wooden pegs instead of nails. In China and Japan, coffins made from the scented, decay-resistant wood of cypress, sugi, thuja and incense-cedar are on high demand.
While in Africa, particularly west Africa, elaborate coffins are built in the shapes of various mundane objects like automobiles or aeroplanes, submarines or even ships.
In west Africa, a coffin or casket is made in honour of the deceased’s trade. For an example if the deceased was a pilot, a coffin or casket resembling an aeroplane would be made. If the deceased was an engine man, a casket resembling a train would be made.
In Zimbabwe the funeral industry has not developed to that stage yet, but developments currently taking place show that we are not far from our west African peers. It is only a question of time.
Manufacturing
In some countries, manufacturers offer features that they claim will protect the body from decay. Some may offer protective caskets that use gaskets to seal the casket after the coffin is closed for the final time.
Many manufacturers offer a warranty on the structural integrity of the coffin.
Consumers however, should keep in mind that no coffin or casket the world-over will preserve the body, regardless of whether it is wooden or metal. Coffins or caskets do not protect bodies from decay or decomposition.
Some people also believe that embalming bodies will stop them from decomposition. Embalming bodies helps preserve them for a few more days before burial. Once burial is done in some cases it may actually speed up rather than slow down the process of decomposition. A wooden coffin or casket is considered environmentally friendly because wood is biodegradable.
Traditionally coffins have been made of wood. World-wide, it was common for coffins to be made per order by carpenters until the 19th century, when the manufacture of coffins became national industries.
The traditional hexagonal pine coffin gave way at this time to the rectangular model. Metal, fibreglass, chipboard and cardboard coffins are available today. While the less durable materials are usually chosen on the grounds of cost, they may also be chosen out of environmental concern. Cardboard coffins are generally chosen when the deceased is to be cremated and in woodland burials.
Coffins have not always been used in the Western world. They were formerly a prerogative of the wealthy and noble. The poor were buried in a shroud in the churchyard, while the rich would be in a coffin in the crypt of the church building itself.
With the resurgence of cremation in the West, manufacturers have begun providing options for those who choose cremation. For a direct cremation, a cardboard box is normally used while those who wish to have a visitation or traditional funeral service will use coffins.
In the western world, for example in England, families can rent a regular casket for the duration of the funeral service. The casket will have a removable bed and liner, which is replaced after each use. Inside the regular casket would be a card board box coffin, which is the one used for the final disposal.
The cardboard box in case of burial is preferred because it is environmentally friendly. In case of cremation, the cardboard box coffin is also preferred because it burns completely.
In some countries, there are a number of companies who manufacture coffins and caskets in bulk. In these countries, manufacturers are wholesalers of coffins and caskets. They do not sell to individual customers, but to licensed and registered funeral homes.
The funeral homes usually sell the casket to a family of the deceased person as part of the funeral services offered. The price of the casket is included in the total bill for services rendered.
In Zimbabwe most coffin and casket manufacturers are also the funeral service providers. There are also some coffin and casket manufacturers who are mainly furniture manufacturers and only produce coffins and caskets as a by-product.
Often, funeral homes will have a small showroom to present families with the available caskets that could be used for a deceased family member. In many modern funeral homes, the showroom will consist of sample coffins and caskets for families to choose from.
Other manufacturers will sell to the general public in addition to the funeral service industry.
Internationally, a number of stores and internet sites have been set up to sell caskets. In the USA, the federal law provides that if a family brings in a casket they purchased elsewhere, other than the funeral home providing services, the funeral home is obligated to accept the casket and use it in the services.
If the casket is delivered direct to the funeral home from the manufacturer they are also obliged to accept it. Funeral homes may not add any extra charges or fees to the overall bill if a family decides to buy the casket elsewhere.
Other uses
A few eccentric individuals sleep in coffins, usually as affection or deliberate taboo-breaking. With the lid closed, the coffin provides thermal insulation and reduces ventilation, thus allowing the air in the coffin to warm up from the body heat.
This performs the same function that a blanket or duvet does in a conventional bed, but without being in direct contact with the body. Some people find this arrangement more comfortable. Actress Sarah Bernhardt was reputed for sleeping in a coffin and she took her coffin with her when she toured.

– Philip Mataranyika is the chief executive officer of Nyaradzo Funeral Assurance Company