Is it legal to have a hero's death?

Question

When I die I want to be burned on a raft on the ocean with two coins on my eyes. I guess destroying money is illegal, so how bout two metallic discs. Anyway. Is it legal to burn bodies at sea? If not in North America, is it legal in other countries?

Answer 1

If you are more than a few miles out to sea, the laws of the United States do not apply and you can do as you wish.

Answer 2

If that's the burial that you want, I'm sure it or something close to it can be done.

My only concern is that funeral pyres like that likely won't meet the state guidlines for cremation of Human remains. (Temperature, duration, containment of fumes and disposal of the...well...remaining remains. (Bone doesn't burn away during cremation, it's pulverized after)

Answer 3

hmmm well i guess if your already dead then its probably not a prob! i dont think they make u do time in the slammer!! =]

Answer 4

Destroying a few coins is not illegal, but burning a body is, at least in most countries. In international waters, that may not be a problem. The problem would be GETTING the body to the international waters. Transporting a dead body entails a lot of legal red tape. You'd have the check with the Department of Health in your state.

Answer 5

Albeit, burning corpse at sea is not legal in the US, many other types of burials at sea are legal.  

See:

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq85-1...

http://www.burialatsea.info/

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/questions/b...

Answer 6

I think you need to go back to scandinavia for that.  

Answer 7

I've studied a fair bit about death customs, but this is a new one for me.  I do know that one can be buried at sea, either an entire body or cremated remains.  Wood cremations are the preferred method of cremation for Hindus in India but they take place on the banks of the sacred river Ganges.  The ashes are then placed in the river waters.  I do not know of any culture or country that practices the form of cremation you cite.

Did you know that the purpose of the coins over the eyes was to keep the eyes closed?  There is no real symbolism to it.  I believe the Greeks put a coin in the mouth of the deceased so they could give it to Charon as payment to cross the river Styx.

Answer 8

Just don't tell anybody! By the time they find you, who cares?

Answer 9

I am not sure about different countries and the legalities of that kind of burial, but I can't see a problem with it, if you can afford it. Anything is possible if a person has the money to have it arranged. But make sure that it doesn't make the living suffer financially...

Answer 10

Disposal of a dead body is a health issue.

a Viking Funeral such as you propose could wind up with your

half burned, rotting remains washing up on a beach somewhere.

Less than acceptible in our more crowded world.