sky burial
Mountaintop carrion rite
Sky burial is a funeral practice in which a corpse is left exposed on a mountaintop or elevated platform to be consumed by vultures and the elements.
Traditional in Tibet and parts of Central Asia, it reflects Buddhist beliefs about the body as an empty vessel after death.
The practice returns the body to nature while feeding other living creatures.
Deceased human body
- defleshingRemoving soft tissue
- charnelOf or containing remains
- mortuaryFacility housing corpses
- cremationBurning the deceased
decomposition · remains · body preparation · dismemberment · bones · flesh · death rites · disposal
Putrefying animal remains
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
- lammergeierBone-eating Old World raptor
- raptorHunting bird with talons
- feedingGiving food to
circling · soaring · flock · consumption · bones · flesh · return to nature · ecosystem
Tibet's administrative center
- TibetHimalayan plateau region
- DharamsalaIndian hill station, Buddhist center
- lamaAndean beast of burden
- monasteryReligious seclusion dwelling
Himalayas · prayer flags · sacred site · high altitude · remote · tantric · offering · compassion
Soul's rebirth after death
- impermanenceQuality of not lasting
- samsaraCycle of rebirth
- karmaSpiritual cause and effect
- transmigrationSoul passing into another body
soul · liberation · release · transition · passing · consciousness · cycle · renewal
Formal event marking occasions
- ritesFormal ceremonial acts
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- ancestorsThose from whom one descends
offerings · chanting · incense · prostration · preparation · blessing · purification · observance
corpse
Deceased human body
- defleshingRemoving soft tissue
- charnelOf or containing remains
- mortuaryFacility housing corpses
cremation · decomposition · remains · body preparation · dismemberment · bones · flesh · death rites · disposal · funeral
carrion
Putrefying animal remains
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
- lammergeierBone-eating Old World raptor
- raptorHunting bird with talons
feeding · circling · soaring · flock · consumption · bones · flesh · return to nature · ecosystem · birds
Lhasa
Tibet's administrative center
- TibetHimalayan plateau region
- DharamsalaIndian hill station, Buddhist center
- lamaAndean beast of burden
monastery · Himalayas · prayer flags · sacred site · high altitude · remote · tantric · offering · compassion · impermanence
reincarnation
Soul's rebirth after death
- impermanenceQuality of not lasting
- samsaraCycle of rebirth
- karmaSpiritual cause and effect
transmigration · soul · liberation · release · transition · passing · consciousness · cycle · renewal · letting go
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
ancestors · offerings · chanting · incense · prostration · preparation · blessing · purification · observance · customs
- funeral customsfuneral, cremation, funeral procession, casket, mourning
- funeralsfuneral, cremation, casket, coffin, funeral homes
- TibetTibet, Lhasa, Dalai Lama, Tibetan Plateau, Tibetan Buddhism
- ancient ritesritual sacrifice, human sacrifice, animal sacrifice, blood sacrifice, burnt offering
- burialcremation, interment, grave, entombment, inhumation
- burial customstombs, grave offerings, funerals, funerary rites, catacombs
sky burialentombment
Placing in a sepulcher
earth burial · interment · mummification · burial · sarcophagus
sky burialmummification
Preserving bodies after death
embalming · cryopreservation · preservation · plastination · hermetic sealing
sky, bury, burial, skies, skyline, skylight, burials, skylines, skylights