Zoroastrian Sky Burials: Towers of Silence, Excarnation, and the Beliefs Behind the Practice

In the days after a death, families often discover something they didn’t expect: the hardest part isn’t always the paperwork or the logistics. It’s the quiet moment when you realize you have choices to make—choices that feel permanent, even when your heart is still catching up. Some families are planning in advance, trying to make funeral planning calmer for the people they love. Others are navigating decisions in real time, learning new words like “disposition,” “urn,” and “cremains” while they’re still trying to breathe.

Across the world, different communities have made sense of death in different ways. Zoroastrian tradition, for example, historically practiced excarnation in a Tower of Silence (also known as a dokhma), rooted in purity beliefs about protecting earth and fire. That history matters because it reminds us of something true for every family today: the “right” way to care for a body and to honor a life is deeply connected to belief, place, and the kind of comfort you’re trying to build.

In modern life, many families are choosing cremation because it offers flexibility—more time, more options, more room for personalization. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to reach 63.4% in 2025, with cremation projected to rise to 82.3% by 2045. The same NFDA release also notes the growing shift toward online arrangements among member firms. These numbers don’t tell you what to do, but they explain why so many families are now asking the same practical questions: what to do with ashes, what kind of urn fits their plan, and how to create a memorial that feels steady rather than rushed.

When beliefs shape the goodbye, the details still matter

Even if Zoroastrian sky burials aren’t part of your family’s tradition, the ideas behind them can be surprisingly relatable. Many people want to avoid harm, to keep a sense of reverence, to do what feels clean and respectful. In Zoroastrian practice, that often meant avoiding “contaminating” sacred elements. In contemporary cremation, the impulse can look different but feel similar: families want to handle ashes carefully, choose a meaningful vessel, and place or keep remains in a way that aligns with their values.

That is why urn choices aren’t just shopping decisions. They are, in a quiet way, a continuation of love. When you choose cremation urns, you’re choosing a home for something that matters. When you choose pet urns, you’re acknowledging that grief doesn’t ask whether the one you lost was human or animal—it just asks whether you loved them. When you choose cremation jewelry, you’re building a portable kind of closeness for the days when grief shows up unexpectedly.

Start with the plan, not the product

One of the most common regrets families share is buying a beautiful urn first, then realizing it doesn’t match the plan they actually need. The calmer path is to begin with one question: where do you want the ashes to be in the next few months? Some families want a single “home base” urn. Others want to divide ashes among siblings, or keep a portion close while planning a scattering later. Some want a discreet keepsake, while others want an urn that can be buried, placed in a niche, or used for a ceremony.

If you want a broad starting place, Funeral.com’s cremation urns for ashes collection makes it easier to compare styles and materials without having to know every term on day one. When you already know you want something compact, the small cremation urns for ashes collection is built for families who prefer a smaller footprint or who are planning to keep only a portion in one place. And if your plan includes sharing, the keepsake cremation urns for ashes collection can help you browse options that are designed specifically for holding a smaller amount.

Size is emotional, but it’s also math

In grief, “capacity” can feel like a cold word. But understanding it prevents the most stressful surprise: discovering the urn you chose doesn’t fit. Urns are typically sized in cubic inches, and many guides use a simple rule of thumb: plan for about one cubic inch of capacity per pound of body weight before cremation. It’s not perfect science, but it helps families choose with confidence when they’re tired and overwhelmed.

When families ask about small cremation urns, they’re often asking for one of three things. They might want a compact urn that still holds a significant portion. They might want a sharing urn for multiple family members. Or they might be thinking of keepsake urns, which are usually meant for a symbolic amount rather than the full remains. If you want a clear walkthrough of how to match size to your plan, Funeral.com’s guide on how to choose a cremation urn is designed to help you make that decision without second-guessing yourself.

It can also help to remember that “one urn” doesn’t have to mean “one decision forever.” Many families choose one primary urn and then add a few keepsakes later—once the first wave of logistics has passed and emotions have softened enough to think clearly.

Sharing ashes can be an act of peace

Families don’t always agree on what should happen next. One person may want to keep ashes at home. Another may want to scatter them. A third might want a cemetery placement. When these needs collide, it can feel like you’re negotiating grief. This is where keepsake urns can gently change the conversation. Instead of forcing one “final answer,” keepsakes allow a family to honor more than one heart at once.

If you’re wondering what keepsakes actually hold, how families split ashes, or how filling and sealing works in real life, Funeral.com’s Journal article Keepsake Urns Explained offers practical guidance without turning the moment into a project. The point isn’t to make ashes the center of your home. The point is to make decisions you can live with—especially when grief changes shape over time.

Pet loss is real loss, and pet memorials deserve care

If you’ve lost a pet, you may have noticed how quickly people minimize it—sometimes because they don’t know what else to say. But anyone who has loved an animal knows the truth: the house can feel unbearably quiet, and routines can fall apart overnight. Choosing pet urns for ashes is often less about display and more about anchoring. It’s a way of saying, “You mattered here.”

For families who want a wide range of styles and sizes, Funeral.com’s pet cremation urns for ashes collection includes traditional vessels, photo-frame urns, and more decorative designs. If you want something that looks like a small piece of art in your home, the pet figurine cremation urns for ashes collection offers dog and cat figurines and other sculptural styles that can feel like a tribute rather than a container. And if you’re planning to share a portion among family members, Funeral.com’s pet keepsake cremation urns for ashes collection is designed for smaller holds that still feel dignified.

If you want help matching urn size to your pet’s weight and your memorial plan, the Journal guide Pet Urns 101 is a compassionate, practical place to start. It’s okay to want something that feels like them. It’s also okay to keep it simple. The goal is not to “get it perfect.” The goal is to feel less alone when you walk past the spot where they used to sleep.

Cremation jewelry is closeness you can carry

Some people want a memorial they can visit. Others want something they can touch on a hard day. That’s where cremation jewelry comes in. An urn can be a home base. Jewelry can be a bridge—between the day of the service and the months that follow, between “I’m okay” and “I miss them so much I can’t speak.” A small amount of ashes, sealed inside a pendant, can feel like a private promise: you are still with me, in some way.

On Funeral.com, you can browse cremation jewelry for a range of styles, including discreet pieces designed for everyday wear. If you know you want a necklace specifically, the cremation necklaces collection makes it easier to compare shapes, closures, and design choices. For a clear explanation of how jewelry is filled, sealed, and worn safely, Funeral.com’s guide Cremation Jewelry 101 is a helpful companion—especially if you’re buying jewelry for someone who is nervous about security or daily wear.

In practice, families often choose jewelry for one or two people who need the most consistent closeness. It can be a spouse, a child away at school, or a sibling who feels responsible for “holding it together.” Jewelry doesn’t replace the larger memorial. It simply adds another kind of comfort.

Keeping ashes at home can be normal, safe, and deeply comforting

One of the most tender moments in modern grief is bringing cremated remains home. It can feel ordinary and profound at the same time. Many families are drawn to keeping ashes at home, at least at first, because it gives them time. Time to decide what “final” means, time to gather family members for a ceremony, time to move at a human pace.

If you’re wondering about safety, placement, kids, pets, or how to handle visitors who may feel uneasy, Funeral.com’s article on keeping ashes at home walks through both the emotional and practical side. Often, the most helpful approach is separating “now” from “forever.” You can keep ashes in a private, secure spot today and decide later whether you want a more visible memorial space, a scattering, or a cemetery placement.

This is also where the combination of memorial options can reduce pressure. A primary urn from the cremation urns for ashes collection can serve as the home base. A few keepsake urns can support sharing. One piece of cremation necklaces or other jewelry can support daily closeness. Your plan can be layered, and it can change over time.

Water burial and biodegradable urns: a gentle, contained release

For families who feel drawn to the ocean, a lake, or a river, water burial can be a meaningful way to say goodbye. Some people want scattering. Others want a more contained ritual—especially in wind, on a boat, or in a place where leaving loose ashes doesn’t feel right. Biodegradable water urns are designed to float briefly and then sink or dissolve, allowing the moment to feel ceremonial without leaving an object behind.

If you’re considering a water ceremony and you find yourself asking very practical questions like “How long will it float?” or “What does dissolving actually look like?” Funeral.com’s guide Biodegradable Water Urns for Ashes explains the differences between float-then-sink designs and sink-right-away designs. And if you want to plan around timing and conditions, the companion guide Biodegradable Water Burial Urns: How Long They Float can help you set expectations in a calm, realistic way.

These choices are becoming more common as cremation becomes more common. CANA notes its long-running role in gathering and reporting cremation trends and industry statistics, releasing updated reports annually on U.S. and Canada data through the Cremation Association of North America. The takeaway for families is simple: you are not alone in needing guidance here. Modern cremation often comes with modern questions.

How much does cremation cost, and how does that shape the memorial?

Cost doesn’t determine love, but it does shape options. When families ask how much does cremation cost, they’re usually trying to protect themselves from financial surprises at a time when everything already feels unsteady. Pricing varies widely by region and by the kind of service you choose, but understanding the difference between direct cremation and full-service options can help you make decisions that align with both your heart and your budget.

If you want a current, detailed breakdown, Funeral.com’s 2025 guide How Much Does Cremation Cost in the U.S.? walks through common fees and the choices that tend to change the total. In real life, this is also where memorial items can become part of a plan rather than an add-on. A family might choose one primary urn and skip other extras. Another family might choose a simpler urn but add one keepsake or one piece of jewelry for someone who needs it most. There is no single “right” balance—only the balance that allows you to grieve without adding regret.

A steadier way to decide, one step at a time

Whether your family is shaped by long-held tradition or by a more contemporary approach, the decisions around ashes tend to land in the same place: you want to do something that feels respectful, meaningful, and manageable. If you’re feeling stuck, return to a few grounding questions. Where will the ashes be first? Will you keep a home base urn? Will you share a portion? Are you planning a ceremony now or later? Do you want something you can carry, like cremation jewelry, or something you can place, like cremation urns for ashes? If a pet has died, do you want pet cremation urns that blend into your home or stand as a visible tribute?

What matters most is that your choices support the living, too. A memorial is not only about where ashes go. It’s also about how you want to remember, how you want to cope, and how you want to care for each other in the months that follow. You do not have to solve every question at once. You can start with a plan that fits today—and give yourself permission to adjust as grief evolves.

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