There are a few reasons why graves are traditionally dug so that the bodies are buried facing east. This practice has roots in ancient traditions and beliefs, and while the specifics may vary across religions and cultures, the eastward orientation is common across many burial practices.
Symbolism of the Rising Sun
Many cultures have viewed the east, where the sun rises each day, as a symbolic direction representing rebirth, renewal, and resurrection. Since ancient times, the sun’s daily renewal has been equated with life after death in many spiritual belief systems. Orienting the deceased to face east symbolically aligns them with the narrative of death leading into a new life.
Facing east provides an auspicious alignment between the buried person and the energy and symbolism of the dawning sun. Just as the sun “resurrects” itself each dawn, the deceased is set to face the rising sun in expectation of their own spiritual renewal and reawakening.
Examples Across Religions and Cultures
Here are some examples of how eastern orientation links to beliefs about death and resurrection across different faiths and cultures:
- Christian tradition holds that Christ will return from the east on Judgement Day, so graves face eastward in anticipation of the resurrection of the dead.
- Ancient Egyptians built pyramids and tombs with an eastern axis to symbolize the junction between life and death.
- In Islam, the deceased are buried facing Mecca in the east. This easterly orientation represents looking toward the holy city.
- Hindu funeral ceremonies often incorporate offerings and rituals carried out facing east.
- In Chinese tradition, Feng Shui principles recommend gravesites face east for good fortune and positive energy flow.
While the symbolism and significance vary, positioning the departed to face east is a consistently meaningful theme across cultures.
Practicality of the Rising Sun
In addition to rich symbolic meaning, an easterly orientation also has practical roots. Graves facing eastward are naturally exposed to the first rays of sunlight each morning. There are several practical benefits that may have factored into establishing this traditional burial direction:
- Morning sun dries moisture and promotes aerobic conditions, aiding in natural decomposition.
- The sun’s light and warmth inhibits mold growth and allows for more thorough breakdown of organic matter.
- Facing east takes advantage of passive solar energy and protection from chilling winds or weather.
- Sunlight exposure deters nocturnal scavengers and animals from disturbing the gravesite.
With basic reasoning, early societies saw the practical advantages of morning sun exposure for burial sites in inhibiting decay and protecting remains. This practical impetus likely worked together with symbolic meanings to establish the tradition.
Geographical Alignment
Cardinal directions provide consistent markers for orientation across geographies. East is fixed and universally understood in a more reliable way than subjective descriptors like “left” or “right.” Using east as a reference point allows burial instructions to be standardized and aligned across generations.
Saying someone should be buried facing the sunrise or back towards the mountains would rely on landmarks that move or change over time. But specifying east provides an immutable direction that can be followed forever after. East-facing burial harmonizes graves into orderly grids and standard orientations defined by the compass points.
Notable Exceptions
While east is the predominant burial orientation, some exceptions exist:
- Jewish tradition favors burying the dead facing toward Jerusalem in Israel, which lies south-east from Europe and north-east from the Americas.
- Some Arab societies orient the dead to face Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which lies south from points north of the equator.
- Ancient Roman burials often faced west or followed local topography rather than an eastern compass alignment.
- In settings like modern mausoleums and multi-story burial buildings, placement is based on space considerations rather than a set direction.
So while east is the most common burial direction, it is not an absolute standard, and some cultural traditions have their own defined orientation.
Conclusion
Burying the dead to face eastward reflects both practical considerations and deep symbolic meaning for many cultures across history. The sun’s east-west path shapes basic orientation symbolism around concepts like rebirth and renewal. Practical benefits arise from morning sun exposure in graves facing the sunrise. Using east also imposes reliable directional standards across sites and generations. These factors have combined to make east the predominant burial alignment, while allowing for some exceptions based on religious customs or spatial constraints.