Concept in Definition ABC

It is designated with the term of exhumation the unearthing of a corpse that was opportunely buried after the death of the person. Exhumation is a common practice of maintenance carried out in cemeteries and which consists of provisionally removing the human remains that had been buried in that place. It is a job that must be done with adequate elements and conditions to guarantee the conservation of the remains and also the health of the worker in charge of this task. It is an activity that of course requires conscious and respectful handling.

Causes for carrying out an exhumation

The reasons for exhumations can be varied, because the space reserved in some cemeteries is for a certain time of years, and then when this limit ceases it is necessary to exhume the remains and take them to an ossuary common. The space is freed so that another can occupy it.

It can also be carried out as a result of a court order to test the corpse or remains forensic, but immediately afterwards it is reburied, among the most common causes.

While such an act of digging up a corpse is considered sacrilege by most religions that bury their dead as a fundamental part of the beliefs of faith that they hold, there are some circumstances in which it will be tolerated, among them the next ...

When an individual dies surrounded by unclear and suspicious circumstances, that is, what is popularly called a doubtful death, those who are in charge of the investigation of the aforementioned, such as the prosecutor's office, the police, may carry out the exhumation of the body, with the authorization issued by authority competent by means of, in order to clarify the same, how and who killed him, if it was accidental death or murder, among other issues.

But of course, to obtain evidence it will be essential to unearth the body of the deceased person to carry out some studies and thus obtain information.

As the police and forensics say popularly, the corpses speak, by case, when there are doubts about the death, the authorities in charge of the investigation will indicate the exhumation so that seasoned professionals can analyze the corpse.

On the other hand, exhumation can be carried out with the aim of burying the body elsewhere. For example, a son decides to exhume the corpse of his father to rest next to that of his mother, which is found in a vault in a private cemetery.
That is, in this case there is no suspicion about the causes of the death of the person, it will only be a personal decision.

After a considerable time, as many cemeteries have a limited number of plots to bury the dead, when these are at full capacity, the usual thing is to move the contents of the oldest tombs to an ossuary, place or container in which the human remains are kept, in order to accommodate more bodies.

Another very frequent reason that can lead to the exhumation of a corpse is the need to carry out an analysis of DNA post mortem, since there is someone who demands paternity or maternity or any other blood tie with the deceased person.

Of course, this situation demands the order of a judge to be finalized, it is impossible to proceed to it without the due judicial resolution that supports it.

Normally these cases generate reluctance among the relatives of the deceased because they oppose the practice of digging up the corpse and manipulate it, and also because of course they fear that there is a positivity in the claim and that they will have to share the assets that the dead.

Also, after a time archaeologists and physical anthropologists are allowed to unearth human remains in order to carry out a better study and understand the evolution of the human condition.

And also, after a certain time, some agencies are allowed to building clear old cemeteries to erect new ones over them infrastructure.
This last point is where there are major conflicts as a consequence of the reluctance of some cultures that refuse to lose their roots in this way.