Abraham buried Sarah, his wife in the cave of the field of Ephron, at Machpelah, which he purchased in the presence of the children of Heth, for 400 Shekels of silver, 1860 B.C. Genesis 23.
The word Cemetery Koimeterion comes from the Greek Koimao (Koimaein) to sleep. It is the sleeping place, and "Christianity has turned the Sepulchre into a Cemetery assuring us, as it does, that those who die in Jesus, Sleep in Him, awaiting a future awakening, in augmented vigour, and with renovated powers. To the Christian, the grave should be associated with the idea of calm and undisturbed repose, after a life of honourable toil, with the hope of a glorious and blessed resurrection." The Greeks had their burial places at a distance from the towns. Lycurgus allowed his Lacedemonians to bury their dead within the city and around their temples that the youth being inured to such spectacles might be the less terrified with the apprehension of death. Two reasons are alleged why the ancients did not allow burials within their cities. 1st. they considered that the sight, touch or neighbourhood of a corpse defiled a man, especially a priest. 2nd. to prevent the air from being corrupted by putrifying bodies, and the buildings from being endangered by the frequency of (Cremation) funeral fires. The custom of burning bodies prevailed amongst most Eastern nations, and was continued by their descendants, after they had peopled the different parts of Europe. Hence we find it prevailing in Greece, Italy, Gaul, Britain, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, till Christianity abolished it.
The Romans had their places of interment in the suburbs and fields especially the highways; hence the necessity of inscriptions. We have a few exceptional instances of persons buried in the city a favour allowed to only a few of singular merit in the Commonwealth. Burying within the walls was expressly prohibited by a law of the xii Tables. Plutarch says those who had triumphed were indulged in it. Val. Publicola and C. Fabricius, are said to have had tombs in the Forum, and Cicero adds Tuberius to the number. Places of burial were consecrated under Pope Calixtus I. in A.D. 210. (Eusebius.) Among the primitive Christians, cemeteries were held in great veneration. It appears from Eusebius and Tertullian that in the early ages they assembled for divine worship in the cemeteries. Burying in churches for many ages was severely prohibited by Christian Emperors. The first step towards it was the erection of churches over the graves of martyrs in the cemeteries, and translating the relics of others into churches in the city. Subsequently Kings and Emperors were buried in the Atrium or church porch. The first Christian burial place it is said, was instituted in 596; buried in cities, 742; in consecrated places, 750; in church yards, 758. It is said however in the 6th century the people began to be admitted into the churchyards; and some Princes, Founders and Bishops into the churches. The practice adopted at the consecration of cemeteries, was something after this fashion—the Bishop walked round it in procession with the crosier or pastoral staff in his hand, the holy water pot being carried before, out of which the aspersions were made. Many of the early Christians are buried in the catacombs at Rome. Vaults erected in churches first at Canterbury, 1075. Woollen shrouds only permitted to be used in England 1666. Linen scarfs introduced at funerals in Ireland 1729, and Woollen shrouds used 1733. Burials taxed 1695. A tax conducted on burials in England—for the burial of a Duke £50, and that of a common person 4s., under William III 1695, and George III 1783. Acts relating to Metropolitan burials, passed 1850-67. In 1850 the Board of Health was made a Burial Board for the Metropolis, and power was given to the Privy Council to close the City grave-yards. Parochial Registers instituted in England by Cromwell, Lord Essex, about 1538.—Stow.
Earth to earth system of burial advocated by Mr. Seymour Haden. Wicker Coffins exhibited at Stafford House, 17th June 1875. With the view of rendering the death of persons of quality more remarkable, it was customary among the Greeks and Romans to institute funeral games, which included horse-racing, dramatic representations, processions and mortal combats of gladiators; these games were abolished by the Emperor Claudius, A.D. 47.
The custom of delivering a funeral oration in praise of a person at his funeral is very ancient, it was practised by the Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks and Romans. The old heathens honoured those alone with this part of the funeral solemnity who were men of probity and justice, renowned for their wisdom and knowledge, or famous for warlike exploits. This custom was very early obtained by the Christians. Some of their funeral sermons are now extant as that of Eusebius on Constantine, and those of Nazianzen on Basil and Cæsarius; and of Ambrose on Valentinian, Theodosius, and others.
One of the oldest established and most celebrated of the European cemeteries is that of Pere la Chaise near Paris. In the Scottish cemeteries no such distinctions exist as in England where the cemeteries are divided into two portions—one consecrated for the burials of members of the Established Church over whose remains the funeral service is read and one unconsecrated for the burials of dissenters.
The Burials Law Amendment Act 1880, has given to Parishioners in England the right of burials in Church-yards without the rites of the Church of England.
Though the Incumbent of a parish has no longer the exclusive right of officiating at interments in consecrated ground yet none of his rights are actually abrogated. He is still custos of the grave yard and must be consulted about the hour and place of interment as well as the inscriptions on grave stones. While in the case of lay funerals contemplated under the Act, it is not necessary to have any service at all, the service if performed must be Christian and orderly.
Another stone bears the following inscription:—