# Ashes to Ashes

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ashes-to-ashes/284251>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 11, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ashes-to-ashes/284251 "2005-01-11T19:01:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ashes-to-ashes/284251/21 "2005-01-16T03:21:00Z")

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[Weights of Common Substances - Compiled by Andrew Roy](http://www.tesarta.com/www/resources/library/weights.html)

> [@](#):
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> Random tidbit: the ashes of the average cremated person weigh five pounds. (I originally listed “nine pounds” based on a web page somewhere, but further research suggested that five pounds was closer to the truth. One source claimed that ashes usually weigh approximately 3% of body weight, which also supports 5 lbs as an average figure).

[Starburst Memorials](http://www.columbiad.ca/starburst/faq/) (claiming to provide a service to send one’s creains into space) estimates that the cremains will weigh 3 kilograms (just over 6 1/2 pounds).

The [1911 Encyclopædia Britannica](http://85.1911encyclopedia.org/C/CR/CREMATION.htm) estimates the weight of the cremains from the first “modern” cremations:

> [@](#):
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> The process was complete in two hours, and the ashes weighed about 5% of the weight before cremation.

Assuming that the ashes weigh less than water (at just over 8 pounds/gallon) and would, therefore, take up somewhat more volume, the differences in volume for cremains might range from about a half gallon (at 3% of a 100 lb. person) to two gallons (at the older rate of 5% for a 300 lb. person.)

I did not find anything that provided actual volumes of cremains, although [this on-line urn vendor](http://besturns.com/index.htm) notes on several of its products a volume of 200 inches (just under .9 of a gallon).

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**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ashes-to-ashes/284251/22 "2005-01-16T22:51:52Z")

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> [@spingears](#):
>
> A crematory operator in GA was grossly negligent in his operation. Left bodies in caskets, boxes, and in the open. Several hundred in all from GA and surrounding states. Sent cement dust in the urns etc. back to the Furneral Homes. Finally caught, prosecuted and IIRC he received about 10 or 20 years total. Should have been per departed loved one IMHO.

A pdf copy of the leaga class action suit is at:[\*\* Class Action Lawsuit \*\*](http://news.lp.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/crematory/leetristcr2002clscmp.pdf)

[QUOTE]  
At several funerals/memorial services the ashes were in some sort of plastic like container about 1-1/2 to 2 gallon in size.

> [@](#):
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> Today I was at a memorial service where the departed’S photo was on a projection screen and the ashes/cremains were in a bronze urn of about 1 pint or 250 ml. Does anyone know the volume of these urns?

I learned today that what I saw was a keepsake urn. The full size urn depending on the height/weight of the individula is around 200 cu.in

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