Green Bones After Cremation—What Does It Mean? - Trupoint Memorials Answers (2024)

FREE & FAST SHIPPING

Close Menu

Green Bones After Cremation—What Does It Mean? - Trupoint Memorials Answers

Green bones after a cremation are believed to be a symbol of good luck. Learn why this happens here and if it really matters.

Green Bones After Cremation—What Does It Mean? - Trupoint Memorials Answers (4)

By Cameron-Leigh Henning

Green Bones After Cremation—What Does It Mean? - Trupoint Memorials Answers (5)

Edited by Joel Taylor

Updated January 31, 2023.

Green bones after cremation are believed to be a symbol of good luck, and some religions or cultures even carry small fragments of these bones around with them to attract prosperity. It is also thought that green bones are only found in individuals who were good people during their lifetime and carried no nastiness in their hearts. The Chinese cultures believe that green bones after cremation are the final gift of the deceased to their family and are a welcome sign.

Why Can Bones Be Green After Cremation?

The color of bones after the cremation has a lot to do with the temperature of the cremator. The ideal cremation temperature is 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit and up. As the body approaches scorching temperature, it goes through several changes:

  • At around 570 degrees, the organic components of the bone begin to carbonize and turn dusty brown or black.
  • As the temperature reaches 1,400 degrees, the bones turn to a darker black.
  • Once the heat rises to more than 1,470 degrees, the phosphorus and calcium in the bones change to light gray or white, depending on how long they remain at this temperature.

However, sometimes the bones have a green color to them when they’ve come into contact with copper or bronze that has begun to degrade. Another reason for green bones after the cremation is because of contact with tetracycline or chromium oxide, which are components in antibiotics given during childhood.

Does Ash Color Matter?

You may be wondering, “Does it matter whether my loved one’s cremation ashes are dark or light (or green) in color?” The good news is that the ash color doesn’t actually matter or change anything unless for cultural reasons. It does not affect how the crematorium treated your loved one throughout the cremation process.

Ultimately, the ashes will be concealed by the urn you choose for your loved one, be it a white cremation urn, a gold cremation urn, or an urn in a beautiful blue color. The bone and ash color simply have to do with the temperature of the cremator and the compounds in the bones.

That being said, if you'd like to honor your loved one through their ashes, take a look at our blog on special ideas for scattering ashes.

Error

What are you looking for?

Your cart

  • You don't have any items in your cart.
  • Green Bones After Cremation—What Does It Mean? - Trupoint Memorials Answers (11)
    • {property.name}: {property.value}

    -+

  • Subtotal:
  • Shipping & taxes calculated at checkout

    View Cart
Green Bones After Cremation—What Does It Mean? - Trupoint Memorials Answers (2024)

FAQs

Green Bones After Cremation—What Does It Mean? - Trupoint Memorials Answers? ›

However, sometimes the bones have a green color to them when they've come into contact with copper or bronze that has begun to degrade. Another reason for green bones after the cremation is because of contact with tetracycline or chromium oxide, which are components in antibiotics given during childhood.

What does green bone in cremation mean? ›

Green Bones After Cremation—What Does It Mean? Green bones after cremation are believed to be a symbol of good luck, and some religions or cultures even carry small fragments of these bones around with them to attract prosperity.

What can cause green bones? ›

The generalized khaki color observed in the patients described results from tetracycline deposited in bones everywhere in the body during acne treatments. During adolescence, there is active bone growth and mineralization that favor generalized tetracycline deposition.

What is a greenbone? ›

Definition of 'greenbone'

1. an eel-like blennioid food fish, Pholis gunnellus, occurring in North Atlantic coastal regions: family Pholidae (gunnels). It has a slippery scaleless golden-brown skin with a row of black spots along the base of the long dorsal fin. 2.

Is it true belly buttons don't burn in cremation? ›

These larger fragments are then ground down into smaller pieces. Something that people don't often know is that the belly button never burns to ash; it remains hard and in the same shape.

What is the green cremation? ›

Green cremation uses a different process. It uses heat, but the temperature is only a fraction of the heat used to burn a body to dust. As a result, alkaline hydrolysis does not need to use as much energy. The bones are left at the end of green cremation, but they have a different quality.

What color are human remains after cremation? ›

Ashes are between grey or grey-brown in colour. They are usually mid-to-light grey, but it's normal for them to be darker grey, or to have a brown tinge. The colour of a person's skin doesn't affect the colour of the ashes. Metals we absorb into our bones from the environment is what affects the colour.

What is the significance of a green bone? ›

It is also thought that green bones are only found in individuals who were good people during their lifetime and carried no nastiness in their hearts. The Chinese cultures believe that green bones after cremation are the final gift of the deceased to their family and are a welcome sign.

Can people have green bones? ›

Results: Yellow-green bone was encountered in 3 patients during orbital tumor excision or orbital fracture repair procedures. The only common cause was prior use of tetracycline during adolescence. All patients had healthy white dentition. In all cases, absence of neoplasia was demonstrated histologically.

What has green bones? ›

In the forests of New Guinea, lizards scurry around with green bones, green hearts, green tongues, and green blood. At least six species share this enigmatic trait, which didn't originate from one bizarre mutation but evolved four different times, according to new research in Science Advances.

Can a body feel pain during cremation? ›

Does the body feel pain during cremation? The body does not feel pain during cremation because the person is no longer alive. When a person dies, their brain stops sending signals to the body. This means that the person cannot feel pain or any other sensation.

What is the last part of the body to burn during cremation? ›

The bones, which are the last to go, become calcified as they are exposed to the heat and begin to flake or crumble [source: Pope]. An average human body takes from two to three hours to burn completely and will produce an average of 3 to 9 pounds (1.4 to 4.1 kilograms) of ash.

What body parts don't burn in cremation? ›

After the cremation procedure is complete, what remains are typically gray fragments including ashes from the cremation container used and bone particles. The bones themselves will not burn during the process; in fact, if left undisturbed, there will be an entire skeleton left behind after a cremation.

What bone is left after cremation? ›

Atmaram bone, which usually does not burn during cremation, is handed over to the family of the departed (asthi sanchaya) after cremation which is then immersed in the holy Ganges river ( asthi visarajan).

What is green flameless cremation? ›

A Gentle Environmentally Friendly Method of Disposition for you or your Loved One. Flameless Cremation uses WATER instead of fire and is a new alternative to burial or flame cremation.

What do they do with bones during cremation? ›

The bones themselves will not burn during the process; in fact, if left undisturbed, there will be an entire skeleton left behind after a cremation. Then those bones are swept out and machinery is used to break them down into smaller components that can fit easily inside an urn or other storage vessel.

What do Aquamation ashes look like? ›

The color of ash from Aquamation is anywhere from white to a tan color. With both processes, there can be slight variations in color from individual to individual. The consistency of the ash is also different.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Velia Krajcik

Last Updated:

Views: 5911

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (54 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Velia Krajcik

Birthday: 1996-07-27

Address: 520 Balistreri Mount, South Armand, OR 60528

Phone: +466880739437

Job: Future Retail Associate

Hobby: Polo, Scouting, Worldbuilding, Cosplaying, Photography, Rowing, Nordic skating

Introduction: My name is Velia Krajcik, I am a handsome, clean, lucky, gleaming, magnificent, proud, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.