Most archaeologists believe that cremation was invented during the stone age, about 3000 BCE. ₁ It was most likely first used in Europe or the Near East. It became the most common method of disposing of bodies by 800 BCE in Greece, and 600 BCE in Rome. However, other societies had other methods:

	in ancient Israel, sepulchers (tombs or vaults) were used for burial; cremation was shunned. The body was exposed to the air of the tomb and simply decomposed.
	the early Christian church also rejected cremation, partly because of its association with Pagan societies of Greece and Rome. Christians buried their dead in graves or in catacombs (underground vaults).
	in ancient Egypt, bodies were embalmed.
	in ancient China, they were buried.

When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, and the followers of other religions were exiled or exterminated, burial became the only method of disposing of bodies throughout Europe.

The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) has a few references to the disposal by burning in fire. Some verses describe executions by Philistines or Babylonians. Burning of bodies and objects in ancient Israel were mostly reserved for idols, criminals or enemies:

	Genesis 38:24: Judah initially ordered his pregnant daughter-in-law to be burned to death because she was guilty of prostitution. This action would have caused the death of the woman and her twin fetuses.
	Exodus 32:20: Moses destroyed the golden calf by burning it.
	Leviticus 20:14: If a man marries both a woman and her mother, then all three "must be burned in the fire" (NIV). The passage is ambiguous: it is not known whether they would be burned alive, or would be stoned to death first, and their bodies burned
	Leviticus 21:9: If the daughter of a priest becomes a prostitute, then she "must be burned in the fire." (NIV)
	Numbers 16:35: God exterminated Korah and 250 Israelite men with fire because they opposed Moses.
	Deuteronomy 7:25: God commanded that the idols of Pagan Gods be destroyed with fire.
	Joshua 7:15-25: After Joshua and his army exterminated the men, women and innocent children of Jericho, a few soldiers disobeyed God's command and looted the city. As punishment for the theft, and to pay for Israel's disgrace, God ordered the thieves to be burned. They were stoned to death; their bodies were burned and buried in what was called the Valley of Achor.
	Judges 15:6: The Philistines burned Samson's wife and father-in-law to death.
	1 Samuel 31:11-13: Earlier in the chapter, Saul had been wounded and asked for assisted suicide from his armor-bearer. The latter refused, so Saul committed suicide himself. The Philistines impaled Saul's body and those of his sons and left them on public display. The people of Jabesh Gilead retrieved the bodies, burned them and later buried the remaining bones in Gilead. There have been a number theories raised to account for this unusual treatment to a hero: burning might have a local custom in Gilead. the people of Gilead may have been worried that the Philistines might dig up the bodies and further desecrate them. burning might have been necessary because their bodies may have partly decomposed. the Hebrew word translated as "burnt" might actually mean "annointed"; thus, the bodies might not have been burned after all.
	2 Kings 10:26: Jehu demolished a temple consecrated to the God Baal and burned its sacred stone.
	Jeremiah 29:22: This verse contains a curse which refers to the time that the Babylonians burned Zedekiah and Ahab by fire.
	Amos 2:1: God proclaimed a death curse on Moab because he had reduced the bones of the king of Edom to lime through burning.

The Christian Scriptures (New Testament) contain few references to burning of bodies or objects:

	Acts 19:19: Sorcerers who were converted to Christianity brought their scrolls out to be burned.
	Revelation 20:15: The fate of those whose names were not written in the Book of Life is to be thrown into the lake of fire.

The burial of many important Biblical figures is described in the Bible: ₂

	Genesis 25:8-10: Abraham
	Genesis 23:1-4: Sarah
	Genesis 35:19-20: Rachel
	Genesis 35:29: Isaac,
	Genesis 49:33 and 50:1-13: Jacob
	Genesis 50:26: Joseph (The Israelites went to great effort to bury his body in the Promised Land; they retained it for over 300 years in Egypt and after the Exodus during 40 years of wanderings before burying it.)
	Deuteronomy 34:6: Moses (God selected a burial site at a secret location in Moab for Moses.)
	Joshua 24:29-30: Joshua
	Joshua 24:33: Eleazar
	1 Samuel 25:1: Samuel
	1 Kings 2:10: David
	Matthew 14:10-12: John the Baptist
	Acts 5:5-10: Ananias and Sapphira
	Acts 8:2: Stephen

To be not given a proper burial was considered to be a great tragedy and dishonor.

	1 Kings 13:22: A prophet disobeyed God by eating a meal in a forbidden location. God laid a curse on him: that his body would not be buried in the tomb of his fathers. Shortly after, the prophet was attacked by a lion and his remains left on a road.
	Jeremiah 16:6: God laid a horrible curse on the Israelites: that many would die of diseases, will not be mourned and would be "like refuse lying on the ground" (NIV). Their bodies will be consumed by animals and birds.
	Jeremiah 22:19: God laid a similar curse on Jehoiakim because of his pride and disobedience. Jeremiah said that he would be given the burial of a donkey: to be dragged away and thrown outside the city gates
	Crucifixion: Of the countless number of tombs in Palestine from the era of Roman occupation which have been excavated, only one skeleton has been found which bears the marks of a crucifixion. That is because after a Roman execution, the lifeless body would be typically discarded in an open pit where it would be devoured by wild dogs. To be forbidden a traditional burial added greatly to the horror of this method of execution.

Some factors which favor cremation:

	it can be more economical, because a simple container can be used in place of an expensive casket.
	there is no cost associated with the purchase and perpetual care of a grave site, or tombstone.
	it allows scattering of the remains in a place of significance to the deceased.
	some people would rather have their body disposed of quickly by heat rather than allow it to decay in a grave.

Some factors which favor burial:

	God selected burial at Moses' death (Deuteronomy 34:6).
	Most of the reference to burning of a body in the Bible are instances of: punishment for criminal acts, punishment for improper behavior, killings by Pagans, or destruction of idols and evil material.
	St. Paul appears to favor burial. In 1 Corinthians 15:35-44, he discusses how God will raise the decomposed body of a believer. The symbolism used is that of planting a seed and having new life rise from the decaying seed.
	The Christian church has advocated burial since its inception. They reserved burning for Witches and other heretics. They exterminated hundreds of thousands of them, mainly during the 15th to 18th centuries.
	Cremation can be an aid to murderers. Once a body has been cremated, it cannot be exhumed and analyzed for poisons.

Various Christian groups have taken a variety of positions on cremation:

	The People's Gospel Hour condemns the practice.
	The Roman Catholic Church used to condemn the practice. In fact, the only German Catholics excommunicated during World War II were not prison guards at extermination camps or other mass murderers; they were individuals who favored cremation. 6
	RBC Ministries suggests a cautious approach. 7
	Most Christian groups take a neutral stance.
	"Cremation is completely banned by traditional Jews. Orthodox and Conservative practice would allow it only in a time of plague. Otherwise, interment in a Jewish cemetery is mandated." These beliefs are reinforced by recent memories of the millions of Jews who were cremated in the death camps of Nazi Germany. However, some rabbis in the Jewish Reform movement support cremation if it is the wish of the deceased.  8,9

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