Gravediggers prepare graves before burial, traditionally using shovels but now often relying on heavy equipment. In the past, gravediggers were often members of the local church, and their job involved filling the grave after burial. Today, gravediggers aim to be discreet and respectful, and new hires are usually trained by experienced workers.
Gravediggers are individuals tasked with digging and preparing graves before a burial. In the past, gravediggers used nothing but shovels and hard work to prepare a grave. Today, a gravedigger may use traditional means or rely on the use of equipment to ensure the grave is prepared in accordance with local norms and regulations.
In past centuries, a gravedigger worked both before and after burial. Along with digging the grave, the cemetery worker was often tasked with filling the grave after the deceased was laid to rest. In Western cultures where Christianity was the dominant faith, an individual needed to be a member of the local church to be a gravedigger. The reason for this is that many Christian denominations once taught that the tomb should be dedicated and sanctified in preparation for the individual’s bodily resurrection at the end of time. Since the site would be corrupted if someone who was not a Christian filled in the tomb, only a member of the faith could do the job.
Today, gravedigger jobs often use heavy equipment to move earth rather than relying on shovels. This is because most modern graves utilize a concrete vault that is sunk into the grave prior to burial of the deceased. The use of more precise equipment enables the gravedigger to ensure that the tomb is the ideal depth, width and length to accommodate the vault. As modern tombs also tend to use a top slab to seal the tomb, a gravedigger’s job rarely involves digging in the earth to backfill it after burial is complete.
Most of the time, a gravedigger will try to be very discreet in the performance of his duties. This means making sure the grave is prepared before the mourners arrive at the burial site, as well as waiting until the deceased’s loved ones have left the burial site before beginning the process of sealing the open grave. Such discretion is often considered respect for the deceased and loved ones who are grieving the recent loss.
Gravedigger jobs typically do not require any specific type of educational background or special training. After securing employment, the new hire is usually paired with an experienced gravedigger who teaches the beginner the basics. If heavy equipment is used, the beginner is sometimes trained and must receive certification before being considered fully up to the task.
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