The 9 Most Bizarre Burial Rituals Around the World

Burial is the ceremonial act of placing the body of a deceased person or animal, often accompanied by belongings, into the ground. However, around the world, there are unusual customs like the practice of burial with the deceased. This ritual is believed to have originated from the ancient traditions of the Sati people. In Fiji's traditional funeral ceremonies, a loved one of the deceased is strangled to death, as it is thought that this ensures the deceased will not be alone in the afterlife.

No matter where in the world, no one wants their loved ones to pass away, but death is an inevitable part of life — birth, aging, illness, and death. It's something we must learn to accept. While we may keep the memories or belongings of the departed, few consider keeping the body of the deceased nearby for an extended period, as this tribe has done for centuries. This practice may seem harsh for the family of the deceased, but it remains a long-standing tradition.

This practice has continued to the present day. After a body is cremated, the remaining ashes are typically placed in an urn, and the deceased’s wishes are followed. Some may wish to be close to their loved ones, while others prefer to have their ashes scattered in the river, the sea, or on a mountain. In India, many people want their ashes to be scattered in the sacred Ganges River. Cremation is commonly carried out in cremation furnaces in many countries. However, in places like Nepal and India, there are different methods, including open-air cremations.

India is the birthplace of four major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, with Hinduism making up 80.5% of the population. The city of Varanasi, located on the banks of the sacred Ganges River, is the spiritual heart of Hinduism and a site for one of the most revered cremation rituals. After death, many Hindus wish to be cremated and have their ashes scattered in the Ganges, returning to the sacred river they revered in life. For centuries, people have traveled to Varanasi to meditate, pray, and immerse themselves in the river’s holy waters, and it is said that they hope to return to the Ganges after death.

The village of Terunyan on Bali Island, located by Lake Batur in Bangli District, Indonesia, is famous for its open-air burial practice. The deceased are transported to the cemetery by a special boat called a Pedau canoe. After performing rituals, the body is placed in a shallow grave about 20 meters deep but is left uncovered. A simple bamboo fence is erected around the body, resembling a crude cage. The body is exposed to the elements, enduring the sun, rain, and wind.

Remarkably, the body decomposes naturally without emitting any foul odor. The locals believe this is due to a sacred tree called Tarumenyan (a species related to the banyan tree) that grows within the cemetery. Once the body has fully decomposed, the skull is placed on a stone altar under the tree. Over the decades, the number of skulls on the altar has steadily increased, leading to the area being known as the 'Island of Skulls.' However, not every villager undergoes this burial process—only those who were married are given the open-air burial after death. Unmarried individuals are traditionally buried in the ground like most other places.

The Hanging Coffin tradition dates back to ancient China, where it was believed that the closer the coffins were to the sky, the faster the souls of the deceased would ascend to heaven. These coffins were discovered by archaeologists in an area filled with ancient relics. Artifacts found inside the coffins indicate that those buried here held high social status in their time.

Over 2,000 years ago, the Igorot people from Sagada in the northern Philippines practiced the burial of the dead in wooden coffins, either nailed or hung on cliff faces. Their belief was that being buried in such precarious locations would bring the souls closer to their ancestors. It was customary for elderly people to craft their own coffins, carving or painting their names on the sides. The body would be placed on a wooden chair, wrapped in leaves, and covered with a cloth. Funeral rites lasted several days, during which the body was smoked to slow down decomposition.

This tradition is remarkably simple, as it involves hanging the deceased on an ancient tree in the village. The practice is carried out by those with no religious affiliation or traditional cultural ties. It symbolizes that the deceased will forever remain in the hearts of their loved ones, while also serving as a reminder to the living that death is inevitable and a part of life.

The Nyingchi and Kangbei people from Tibet (China) continue the tradition of tree burial for children who pass away prematurely. The child’s body is washed and placed in a small wooden box, which is then hung on a tree (tree burial). Boys are hung high in the tree, while girls are placed lower down. Parents or family members typically hang the coffins on tall trees in forests or near river crossings, believing that this helps the child’s spirit ascend to heaven, free from causing mischief or harm to other children.

According to the Xơ Đăng tradition, when parents pass away, their sons are responsible for carrying the deceased parents' bodies to their final resting place as a sign of filial piety. If the child dies before the parents, the parents show their grief by carrying the child’s body to the burial site. The body is buried in an ancient forest to the west of the village, regarded as a sacred and spiritual place. If the parents die while the child is still too young to carry them, a relative from the same family will carry the body instead.

The Xơ Đăng people leave the body intact and carry it to the burial site. They believe this ritual helps the soul of the deceased achieve a peaceful afterlife. When buried, the deceased’s head is always placed facing the village, so their spirit will not return. Additionally, whatever wealth the living person had is placed with them in the coffin, as it is believed that the deceased need riches to survive in the afterlife while awaiting spiritual liberation. After the burial, relatives refrain from visiting the grave for a long period to ensure that the spirit does not linger in the mortal world. A restless spirit is thought to be unable to ascend to the heavens and may be reincarnated as an evil being.

Sati, an ancient custom rooted in Hinduism, is seen as a brutal ritual imposed on widows. Widows were expected to self-immolate as a way of showing their deep respect and devotion to their deceased husbands. The belief was that after the husband's death, the widow had no place in society and that her life held no further meaning, thus she was compelled to sacrifice herself in the presence of the gods.

It was believed that by performing sati, the widow's family would be blessed with good fortune for seven generations. On the other hand, those who refused to self-immolate would be subjected to severe social disdain. Though the practice was originally thought to be voluntary, in reality, most widows were forced into this horrific tradition. Today, sati is considered illegal and is no longer practiced in India, as it is viewed as a violation of human rights.

Sky burial is one of the most unusual and enduring traditions still practiced today. In this ritual, the body of the deceased is carried to the mountains where it is dismembered and left for vultures to consume. This practice is still carried out in regions such as Inner Mongolia, Tibet, and Qinghai. In these areas, most people follow Vajrayana Buddhism and believe that after death, the body is merely an empty shell. Therefore, they see no need to bury the body, instead allowing vultures to feast upon it.

Vajrayana Buddhists in Tibet believe that the soul of the deceased has already departed, leaving behind only the physical form. Vultures are regarded as sacred, not as scavengers, and are seen as holy eagles. Tibetans believe that this form of burial is akin to the Buddha's sacrifice of his own body to nourish tigers, ensuring that no harm befalls other living beings. By allowing the vultures to consume the body, they believe the soul is swiftly carried to the heavenly realm.

This is considered one of the most bizarre customs ever practiced in regions like Papua New Guinea and Brazil, although it is no longer in existence today. In this ritual, when a person dies, the villagers hold a feast and consume the flesh of the deceased. This practice originated in impoverished countries where food was scarce, and families turned to this ritual as a source of nutrition. The deceased’s family would gather around the body, using fire and other tools to cook the flesh before eating it. Such grisly customs were common in forest-dwelling communities or in regions where natural food sources were limited.

When a member of the tribe dies, the funeral is conducted with solemnity, but without sorrow or mourning. After several days of remembrance ceremonies, the burial process begins. The tribe leader conducts the rites and dissects the body. The meat is shared among everyone, symbolizing a collective mourning and the passing of strength from the deceased. The chief consumes the brain to inherit the deceased's wisdom, while close family members, such as the spouse or children, eat the heart to retain the love and spirit of the departed. The ritual is performed carefully with skewers, ensuring that no direct contact is made with the flesh. Finally, the remaining bones and hair are cremated, and the funeral is concluded.