one with the Earth as soon as possible. Likewise, the Muslims wrap the body in a shroud, and do not normally embalm it before burial.
Interment of clothing and personal effects with the body
Dressing up the body in its favourite attire, and placing objects and trinkets the deceased liked in the coffin are often done, and is known as the inclusion of grave goods for various reasons :
During funeral services, the body is normally put on display so as to enable people to show their respect. It is only natural that the deceased in such instances should be presented in the best possible manner.
A ceremonial dress and sacred objects are believed to make the transition to afterlife comfortable and smooth.
The inclusion of personal effects and favorite objects as grave goods is practiced in the belief that what the deceased held as dear and essential in the life on the Earth might also be equally important in the life beyond. Also, it is an acknowledgment and tribute to the feeling of attachment and to the sense of ownership of the deceased.
To the archaeologist, however, such grave goods are an added bonus, offering insights into how the individual lived in that time. Actually, it ensures the deceased some form of immortality.
Position of the body
There is no fixed body positioning in burials, it differs considerably among various cultures. For example Christian burials are extended, meaning that the body lies flat on its back, with arms and legs straight, and mouth and eyes shut. A variation of it has the arms folded upon the chest. In another variation of the extended burial, the body is prone (lying on the
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