If someone had died in 1930s?

Question

and were exhumed, what would the condition of the body be in?

just out of curiosity, not wanting to sound creepy or crazy or anything just curious.

Answer 1

cracklin bones

Answer 2

a pile of rotting bones

Answer 3

That's so specific.  Did you have someone in mind?!  I think it depends on where and how they were buried.  If it's very dry, the body can just dry up and mummify somewhat.  That's not the usual though.  If it was embalmed and buried in a good coffin (but not dry) I guess there'd be bones and clothes.  If it wasn't, then maybe some of the bones will have disappeared and the clothes would be rotted into nothing.  

Answer 4

millions of people died in the 1930s.

Answer 5

Modern embalming methods were out at that time. There are two main kinds of " rot" if you will. There is aerobic germs that requires oxygen and anaerobic which doesn't require oxygen. Over time, each will degrade a body completely. However, there can be many factors that prolong the appearance of a corpse in somewhat decent condition.

I cannot recall the famous man from the late 50's early 60s that had been assassinated and dug up about 5-10 years ago. The man was a black preacher from the south. Not Martin Luther King but he was a contemporary of his. Ages makes it tough for me to remember. Anyhow, his son was able to view the body and with the exception of a small amount of mold on the suit lapel, his father looked remarkable well for having been buried for 30-40 years.

Eventually, you will disintegrate but I am sure many bodies have remained in very good condition for 30-100 years. Some specific embalming practices may keep you "fresh" longer.

If the body had not been embalmed and was just buried right away in a wooden casket, they would most likely been bones and cloth and maybe not even that if the burial was in very wet or damp ground.

Answer 6

At that point all you would have left are bones and even those would have started to decompose.  

Answer 7

I'd think their bones would still be intact, just very sensitive to the touch meaning, they may be brittle and break easily

Answer 8

That would depend entirely on where and how they were buried. If they were in an above-ground mausoleum, and had been properly embalmed, they could be in fairly good condition. If they were buried in the ground, in a wooden coffin, there would likely be little left but a skeleton.  

Answer 9

You'd find a pile of bones...

Answer 10

It's very dependant... Where it was buried, what kind of process of preserving there was (eg. embalming, mummification), the size of the body, fat content, environmental conditions, humidity, clothing, cause of death, temperature, trauma and availability of oxygen.

It's really to dependent to tell...

Answer 11

It would depend on how the body had been 'processed' after dying. After all, we still have skeletons from ancient Egypt.

A forensic anthropologist studied the remains of an American President who died while in office in the mid-1800's to determine whether or not he'd been poisoned. He had plenty of remains to work with for samples but, in those days, some chemicals were used to prepare the body for burial are ones that are poisonous, so it was difficult to tell.

If it had been buried without preparation and no coffin, the soft tissue would have disintegrated and stained the soil around it. The bones would still be there.

If it had not been buried, there'd be little left after the animals got at it.

Answer 12

a pile of dust.

Answer 13

When they found the naval hero John Paul Jones's body in France I believe, on exhumation he was in pretty good condition.

Answer 14

depending on what hey were buried with some are bones and dust some are lots of hair bones and nails and stuff like that which grows till its gone some actually i have heard look pretty good if they are vaccumn packed but that would have to be soemone real rich. but i would think mostly bones and stuff.

Answer 15

Depends, the avg person would be mainly bones, prbably some hair and some other hard parts such as nails.  But it really would depend on how they were and where they were preserved - look at the Pharohs.  I admit I know nothing about this and the only reason I am amswering is because I wanted to read the answers of the previous responders (that is if they brought in religion at all as i have always been an atheist).

Answer 16

If the person was a Saint, the body would be unblemished.  

Answer 17

I'm doing fine, since you asked!

They did preserve my body, otherwise there would be little other than bones - and organic matter, presumably

Answer 18

There would be singificant decomposition, perhaps just bones waiting for you