Funeral Arts National Board Practice Exam

Which of the following terms refers to the placement of remains in a burial plot?

1. Internment

2. Entombment

3. Exhumation

4. Cremation

The correct answer is: Internment

The term that refers to the placement of remains in a burial plot is indeed internment. This process involves burying the deceased in a designated space within a cemetery or burial ground, where the remains are laid to rest. Internment is a key aspect of traditional burial practices and signifies the final resting place of an individual. In contrast, entombment typically refers to placing the remains in a mausoleum or crypt above ground, rather than in the soil, which delineates it from internment. Exhumation is the act of removing remains from a burial site, often for legal or forensic reasons, while cremation is the process of reducing the body to ashes through intense heat, which does not involve burial at all. Understanding these definitions is crucial for those studying funeral arts, as they relate to the various methods of handling human remains.