# How did six feet become the standard depth for graves? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 28, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300 "2011-03-28T19:48:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/1 "2011-03-28T19:48:43Z")
Okay, I know it’s a bit morbid, but somehow this trivial question has been bothering me lately. How did six feet become the standard depth for graves? And on second thought, is it even true that six feet is the standard depth? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/2 "2011-03-28T20:05:16Z")
A staff report on exactly this subject: > **[Why is “six feet under” the standard depth for burial?](https://www.straightdope.com/21343409/why-is-six-feet-under-the-standard-depth-for-burial)** > > A STAFF REPORT FROM THE STRAIGHT DOPE SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/3 "2011-03-28T20:10:52Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > A staff report on exactly this subject: > [Why is “six feet under” the standard depth for burial? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2271/why-is-six-feet-under-the-standard-depth-for-burial) :smack: Should have done a search. Thanks for the link. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/4 "2011-03-28T20:27:46Z")
Six feet is the common length of most shovels. When the hole is as deep as the shovel is tall, you can stop digging. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/5 "2011-03-28T20:49:30Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Six feet is the common length of most shovels. When the hole is as deep as the shovel is tall, you can stop digging. Where the heck do you buy your shovels? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Skinley_Von_Clipper)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/6 "2011-03-28T21:17:01Z")
A normal shovel comes up to my waist, guess that makes me 12 feet tall. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/7 "2011-03-28T23:04:17Z")
Any less than 6 feet and the smell factor becomes an issue. Also animals can dig up shallow graves. Some places can’t bury the dead below ground because of shallow ground water. A lot of burials in coastal Louisiana are above ground for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/8 "2011-03-28T23:25:50Z")
When I saw the title, I immediately thought of the pragmatic fact of digging a hole. I have buried the family dog a few times. I like to go deep. The last dog was a big one so I surely went to maximum depth. When you dig a hole it gets hard to pitch the dirt out after a certain depth. At some point you can’t even see over the top and climbing out can be problematic too. The thought entered my mind about getting buried in the hole myself. So 5-6’ is where I give up digging. Maybe others historically gave up at that point as well. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/9 "2011-03-29T03:07:21Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Any less than 6 feet and the smell factor becomes an issue. > > Also animals can dig up shallow graves. You also need to get well below the frost level, or frost heaving will bring the remains to the surface like rocks in a new england farm. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/10 "2011-03-29T04:14:26Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > …Some places can’t bury the dead below ground because of shallow ground water. > A lot of burials in coastal Louisiana are above ground for that reason. It’s the same situation in Florida (or at least in the parts I visited as a kid). No burials, just above ground crypts (both individual and large family ones). ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-six-feet-become-the-standard-depth-for-graves/576300/11 "2011-03-29T04:18:31Z")
And I thought that six feet was the minimum depth that a zombie can’t dig its way up from… 🙂