An exhumation usually refers to the unearthing of a body which has been buried in a traditional cemetery or in an unmarked grave. Exhuming a body can often help a police investigation, by confirming someone's identity or providing clues as to the cause of death. Those in history and anthropology may seek to exhume bodies for very different reasons. For examples, the mummified remains of people who lived in ancient civilizations--including the Egyptians, the Mayans and Aztecs--can offer important insight into these vanished societies. Exhuming these bodies tell us about what people ate, how they were dressed and also gives us insight into burial customs.
While some cultures and religions strictly prohibit exhuming buried bodies, the Catholic Christian faith permits this practice. In fact, the Catholic Church has occasionally exhumed the bodies of saints, in order to see if they have been spared decomposition, by way of a miracle. In other instances, bodies may be exhumed for political reasons, especially if the individual was a high-ranking leader killed by a hostile, former regime. The body of the late Russian Tsar Nicholas II, for example, was exhumed, in order to be buried more respectfully, following the fall of Communism. In Hungary, former Prime Minister Imre Nagy was executed and buried faced down in an unmarked grave in 1958, following the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution, but he was exhumed and reburied more respectfully in 1989.
While some cultures and religions strictly prohibit exhuming buried bodies, the Catholic Christian faith permits this practice. In fact, the Catholic Church has occasionally exhumed the bodies of saints, in order to see if they have been spared decomposition, by way of a miracle. In other instances, bodies may be exhumed for political reasons, especially if the individual was a high-ranking leader killed by a hostile, former regime. The body of the late Russian Tsar Nicholas II, for example, was exhumed, in order to be buried more respectfully, following the fall of Communism. In Hungary, former Prime Minister Imre Nagy was executed and buried faced down in an unmarked grave in 1958, following the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution, but he was exhumed and reburied more respectfully in 1989.