From Viking Pyres to Space Ashes: A Look at the World’s Most Unusual Burials

Uncategorised Katrina Deacon 7 August 2025

From Viking Pyres to Space Ashes: A Look at the World’s Most Unusual Burials

At Conwy Wills and Trusts, I’ve helped people write all sorts of wishes into their wills, some traditional, some beautifully unique. Every now and then, I’m asked:
“Can I be buried at sea?” or “What about a Viking funeral?” or even “Could I have my ashes shot into space?”

It turns out, the answer is: Yes! Sometimes, with the right planning.

So here’s a little tour of some of the most unusual (and surprisingly real) burial choices people have made, plus what you need to know if you’re considering something a bit out of the ordinary.

1. Ashes in Space

Yes, it’s really a thing. You can have your ashes launched into space aboard a balloon, rocket, or satellite.

Companies like Celestis and Aura Flights offer services that send a portion of your ashes into orbit—or even into deep space.
Prices vary depending on altitude and whether you want them returned or released.
Just be aware: one recent capsule carrying 166 people’s ashes crashed into the Pacific when re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. Space… isn’t always peaceful!

If this sounds like you, I can help ensure the legal permissions and instructions are captured clearly.

2. Viking-Style Funerals

While full flaming longships are (sadly) not legal on UK shores, you can still honour Norse heritage with:

A model ship carrying your ashes, set alight at sea.
A symbolic ceremony with cloaks, shields and blessings.
Specialised providers offer “Viking funeral” packages for sea or land-based send-offs.

You’d be surprised how often this comes up for fans of history, heritage, or just a love of dramatic exits.

3. Burial at Sea

This one’s been around for centuries, and it’s still legal in the UK under licence.

You can:

Scatter ashes at sea using a biodegradable urn, or
Apply for a full-body sea burial at designated locations (e.g. off the coast of Newhaven or Tynemouth).

It’s peaceful, natural, and surprisingly affordable. Just remember—it does require specific paperwork and permissions.

4. Eco-Reef Memorials

Prefer your ashes to help the planet? You can become part of a coral reef.

Services like Eternal Reefs mix your ashes into a “reef ball” and place it on the ocean floor to support marine life.
It’s a lasting legacy for nature lovers and divers alike.

Strange Burials: When Resting Places Get Unusual

Let’s have a look at some far-out burials that have happened in the past…and the present!

1. Buried in a Car

One of the most jaw‑dropping examples: a man in South Carolina was buried inside his beloved 1973 Pontiac Catalina, fully equipped with his guns in the passenger seat, lowered into the ground by crane. Meanwhile, in China, a family put their father to rest in his hatchback in a custom car‑burial ceremony.

2. Tree Burials & Kitchen Graves

In the Philippines, the Caviteño people bury loved ones inside hollowed trees—a way to ‘go back to nature’. Another tradition sees the deceased interred beneath the family kitchen, keeping ancestors close at home.

3. Hanging Coffins on Cliffs

Ancient cliff‑hanging coffins in China’s Sichuan province see the dead entombed high above the valley floor, a practice from the Bo people thought to elevate the deceased’s spirit.

4. Sky Burials and Vulture Towers

Tibetan “sky burials” and Zoroastrian Towers of Silence place bodies atop high structures for scavengers to consume—a spiritual return to earth’s cycle. Great for vultures, not so great if they drop body parts in flight!

5. Mortsafes: Victorian Zombie Traps

In 19th‑century Britain, families caged graves with heavy mortsafe iron structures to prevent body‑snatchers (or so it was believed)!

Why These Practices Matter

They remind us that funeral choices reflect identity, beliefs and culture.
Some sprang from practical concerns, like preventing body theft.
Others are heartfelt final wishes: cars, forests, or even poodles may be buried with us