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When a person dies their body is placed inside of a coffin (casket). The coffin can be put on display at a funeral, put in storage for winter or buried right away. Sometimes a coffin is nailed shut prior to placing it in the ground.
Features
A coffin is a wooden, six-sided structure that is wide at the shoulder area and narrow at the bottom. Coffins can also be custom-made to the specifications of the deceased person's relatives.
Definition
The word coffin was changed to casket by the modern manufacturing industry. The word casket, derived from the French language, is defined as a container for "precious things".
Modern Caskets
Current-day caskets are rectangular in shape and are made from wood or steel. Most caskets are made with interior rubber gasket sealers and locking mechanisms. They are secured with a locking crank or a wrench.
Nailed Shut for Protection
Coffins are nailed shut to protect the deceased body from moisture, vermin and underground dirt.
Nailed Shut for Travel
An undertaker may nail a coffin shut when he has to transport a body on a long trip. He will also nail coffins to ship deceased military men home to their families.
Source:
Professional car.org: Casket history video
Casket site: Questions about caskets
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