Child-Sized Mummiform Iron Coffin, 1854-1858
THF370110 / Child-Sized Mummiform Iron Coffin, 1854-1858
01
Artifact Overview
In the early- to mid-1800s, transportation improvements allowed Americans to travel great distances. It also meant that they could die far from home. Before modern embalming procedures, returning the deceased for proper internment was difficult. Airtight metal coffins preserved the body for transport, providing families an opportunity to mourn and bury their loved ones at home.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Coffin
Date Made
1854-1858
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
80.128.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Cast iron
Glass (Material)
Keywords |
|---|
02
Related Content
articleGone But Not Forgotten: Fisk Iron Coffins
In early 19th-century America, life was changing fast. More Americans were venturing further from home as the country expanded westward and new innovations in steam and rail transport made travel more accessible. This also meant that more Americans were dying far from home. Society, though, still viewed it as important that a person be laid to rest amongst their family; to not have this final closure would have been deeply upsetting.