The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-26
WIrH THE FEET 10 THE EAST.
An Oid-Time Burial Practice Now Fallen
Largely into Disuse.


There was recently reprinted in THE SrN,
from Western newspaper, a paragraph about
tho dslntrrmcnt and reburial Of a body in a Gene
terry, because 1t had been buried In the wrong
way, The undertaken" So the paragraph said
was a new man at the business and the body
was placed with its feet 70 the west The relatives
recalled the fact and would not be satisfied until
the remains were eHhumed and turned with the
feet IN the east in accordance with the popular
custom"
New York undcrtakers say that hereab bouts
bodies are buried according 10 the situation
VI the burial plot with the feet to the path in front
however that may bring the body with regard
10 the points 81 the compass IL WAS a common
custom IN old times 10 bury the dead with tho
feet 10 the last, so that when they should rise,
on the day Of resurrection they would rise facing
whence the summons was expected There are
II Is said, whole churchyards filed with dead,
all facing east but with the growth of elites
ard ~ cemeteries outside NJ churchyard buryinr:
grounds. this practice fell into disusa. Come
t"rl"s were variuusly situated. TO start With and
bring the land within them most adyantageouslv
INTO use Obviously, for illustration Of dou hls
cling on path, one tier Of lots would face one way,
and tue other tier in exactly the opposite way
\ body uried in any OF these lots. facing either
way would b" buried with the feet 20 the path
upon which the lot fron,cd 30 that the bodies i'm
the two 'i"r- Of tnis double tier u lots would face
IN nEHc' OPPOSITE" direction. and 1t might be that
In laying out cemeteries there are likely 10 bo
curNinG roads, and there might he roads crossing
hag3nhly; with the result Of some plots Of irregu.
lnr shape, and some triangular; and there ar.
likely T. be found in cemeteries some circular
plots. In q circular plot that was enclosed by
other land II might be that the grades would DO
made with the feet toward tho monument at tho
centre OF the plot II, as would more likely be tho
rssc, the circular plot had a path around t. then
the bodies would be placed with their head 20 tho
central monument and their feet to the path tho
graves radiating from the centre: and 40 lying
hs to the points OF tho compass, in various direo
lions In triangular plots the bodies might not
De inferred with foet 10 path. but leng tn wise Of
the plot in its longest section in this or other rreg-
ulnr plots they would be buried as they could 10
most appropriately 10 the plot But in most lots
II Il possible 10 bury the body with the foet TO tho
path and this IL now without regard 10 tho COM
pass points substantially the common practice
ANA II body were disnterred from one lot and re-
Inferred in another II would. upon Its refinement
be placed with its feet tho front Of the new lot
whether this faced in the same direction as tho
qua one or not II is the location Of the lot that
governs; tho practice being To bury with the feet
anu III $, nf course, tho face toward the Path
lIut while tho direct on in W ch bodies shall lie
buried nowadays OmmOnly tau dctermi cd
there are tho who still refer 10 be bu led IA :
ing east, and who accom- plsh hat result simuly
by buying a lot that ia es in that direction.