Global InformationFisk metallic burial case information
Fisk metallic burial cases were patented in 1848 by Almond Dunbar Fisk and manufactured in Providence, Rhode Island. The cast iron coffins or burial cases were popular in the mid–19th century among wealthier families. While pine coffins in the 1850s would have cost around $2, a Fisk coffin could command a price upwards of $100. Nonetheless, the metallic coffins were highly desirable by more affluent individuals and families for their potential to deter grave robbers.[1][2]
The case was custom-formed to the body, resembling an Egyptian sarcophagus with sculpted arms and a glass window plate for viewing the face of the deceased, without the risk of exposure to odor or pathogens. The airtight cases were valued for their potential to preserve the remains of individuals who died far from home, until they could be shipped back for burial by the family.[3] This type of burial in the 19th century indicated that the individual buried was someone of cultural and societal importance.[1][4]
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- ^ "After Years Lost, Identity Reclaimed". Washingtonpost.com. 2007-09-19. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
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historywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Brick Chapel at St. Mary's City stands as a landmark of religious freedom". Cathstan.org. 2010-07-22. Archived from the original on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2012-01-13.