What is the reason for embalming?

The popularity of embalming folks increased during the American Civi War when the dead were often shipped long distances home for burial. Dead folks tend to stink and the embalming kept the stench down.

Prior to that a lot of cultures preserved their dead the Peruvians, Chinese and Egyptians are good examples. Generally this was tied to the belief that a good looking corpse was better received in the afterlife.

In today's world some religions and cultural groups do not allow embalming. Most main stream North Americans opt for it along with the cosmetic program. The general thought is that you should look "good" in your coffin. There is no health reason to be embalmed.

Embalming can lead to problem with groundwater near cemetaries. The chemicals used can leach out as the body decomposes. This problem has been reduced as the funeral industry moved away from asenic based embalming fluids.

Recently a display called "BODIES The Exhibiton has been on tour. It features embalmed corpses in various positions. This is a specialized form of embalming using plastics and polymers