RE:... Why would anyone want to be buried in something that they would end up leaking out of???
you'd rather have your bones swim in your own purtifaction?
some of us sort of believe, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.. (i plan on being creamated, no sense taking up 6 feet of earth and 20+ years just to become ashes.. )
in years past (think of Hamlet) they used to just bury the dead in simple wood coffins, and every 20 to 30 years recyle the 'church' yard and use the space again.. the grave digger was doing just that, when he unearthed yorick's skull (one of the thicker bones in the body, and slower to decompose) the misc. bones that were unearthed were all packed into a single coffin and reburied (usually--sometimes, the bones were set into displays..especially in catacombs of italy, but also in many other parts of the world.
the idea of having space in a grave yard for perpetuity is pretty silly if you ask me!-- yes, a wicker coffin, melt away, turn back to earth, and be done with it.
(NYC 'potter's field " turns over the graves about every 30 years.--it was seen in a movie last year(with michael douglas, -- i forget the name... but the female lead was played by a girl who acted disturbed, "i'll never tell" was her sing song line in the movie-- and her father had been buried in potters field.. the dramatic end of the movie is all on Harts Island, were potter's field is located. (working there is a city jail release program.. prisonerss can sign up to dig the graves (trenches really) and are trasported by boat from Riker's Island to Hart Island-- the water of Long Island sound are deep, and have very strong currents, so its hard to escape) it is considered a choice assignment, as the island is quiet, country like, and no one stares at the prisioners. The dead come in by ferry, from City Island (all of these island are considered to be part of the Bronx), and can be found on most NY city maps (but not alwasy named.)
