Ossuary is defined as what?

• A. A decorative container for cremated remains
• B. A receptacle for communal placement of cremated remains
• C. A personal urn for individual remains
• D. A sealed box for burial clothing

Answer: (B)

An ossuary is a vessel or space used to store cremated remains collectively, meaning it holds the ashes of more than one person. In funeral merchandising, this describes a shared container where multiple cremains are placed together, such as in certain columbariums or family repositories. This differentiates it from a personal urn, which is designed for a single individual’s ashes, and from a decorative urn (which emphasizes appearance rather than sharing) or a sealed box for burial clothing (which serves a different purpose entirely).