Funeral history definitions (N-Z)

National Associated Colleges of Mortuary Science (NACMS)

established in 1942 as an
organization for privately sponsored schools with the goal of advancement of mortuary
education.

National Concrete Burial Vault Association (NCBVA)

an organization of concrete burial
vault manufacturers, whose purpose is to provide a unified voice for the concrete burial vault
industry, and to continually research and develop, then specify and promote minimum
performance standards.

National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)

the oldest and largest national association
of funeral directors and embalmers organized in 1882, that provides members with critical
information, innovative tools, resources and the professional community they need to serve
families, run sustainable businesses and become pillars in their communities.

National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association (NFDMA)

organized in 1924 as the
Independent National Funeral Directors Association (present name adopted in 1957); established
to represent specific interests of African-American funeral directors that provides advocacy,
education, information, products, programs and services to help members enhance the quality of
services to families.

Natron

a combination of salts found in dry lake beds of the desert and used by early Egyptians
in preparation of bodies. Deceased covered in the product (sodium chloride, sodium carbonate,
sodium sulfate, and potassium nitrate) were dehydrated thus preventing decay.

Necropolis

literally means “city of the dead”; cemeteries located on the west bank of the Nile
River, they included mortuary temples and residences of mortuary workers.

Niche

a recess or space in a columbarium used for the permanent placing of cremated remains.

Obsequies

funeral rites or burial ceremonies

Ogee design

a design introduced to square sided caskets in order to reduce the excess space
and weight, particularly of metal caskets; characterized by an “S” shaped curvature; an “S”
shaped molding that is a component part of the casket cap.

Osiris

Egyptian god of the underworld and judge of the dead.

Pagan

a follower of a polytheistic religion

Pollinctores

name of the ancient Roman embalmers. They were either slaves or employees of
Libitinarius

Praeco

aka crier, a special funeral functionary in ancient Rome who summoned participants to
a public funeral.

Professional mourners

due to fear that the dead might be jealous, the ancient Romans and
Greeks hired persons (often women) to shriek, tear their hair and rend garments, etc. in order to
insure adequate display of emotion.

Purgatorial Doctrine

Catholic belief that those whose souls are not perfectly cleansed
undergo a process of cleansing before they can enter heaven

Restorative Art

care of the deceased to recreate natural form and color. Joel Crandall, a New
York City embalmer, is credited with developing the specialty in 1912, and is known as the
“father of restorative art”.

Sarcophagus

early Egyptians cut massive coffins from a single mass of stone to protect from
grave robbers. Same term is applied today to massive copper and bronze caskets. Derivation of
term is from Greek, sarco for flesh and phagus for eaters because when opened, bodies inside
were found to be in a state of decay.

Selected Independent Funeral Homes (SIFH)

a limited, invitation-only membership funeral
service organization formed in 1917 on the basis of one member firm per city (formerly National
Selected Morticians.

Sexton

church caretaker who had responsibility for church property, ringing of bells and
digging of graves in the churchyard cemetery.

Soul shot

mortuary fee paid to insure entrance of the decedent’s soul into heaven.

Style ‘E’ state coffin

casket designed for President Ulysses S. Grant by Stein Coffin Co. in
1885 which helped elevate acceptance of cloth- covered caskets.

Trade embalmer

term originated when some of the original graduates of early embalming
courses gave up regular employment with a single firm to provide embalming service to firms
which had no trained embalmer.

Trocar

long hollow tube patented in 1868 by Samuel Rogers of Philadelphia; used by
embalmers to inject fluids into cavities and remove excess liquids.

Undertaker

original term applied to those whose occupation included responsibility to
organize and facilitate funeral activities; used by some for the term funeral director

Undertaker’s buggy

name given to the vehicle used by undertakers to transport the necessary
mortuary paraphernalia to the homes where funerals were typically held.These vehicles
sometimes had an appearance similar to a hearse, but were much less ornate.

Undertakers Mutual Protective Association

first formal organization of undertakers; kept a
black book of objectionable and delinquent customers to be shared among members only;
originated in Philadelphia, January 1864.

University Mortuary Science Education Association (UMSEA)

organization of college and
university-based funeral service programs established in 1961

Wake

originated as an ancient Hebrew practice, family and friends sit with the deceased as a
precaution against premature burial; continued as an act of piety in Middle Ages (aka vigil for
the dead)