Understanding Urns: Types, Materials & Sizes for Cremated Remains

An urn stores the ashes after a person passes away and is cremated. An urn usually looks similar to a vase.

Appearance

• Urns can have a variety of shapes, according to Memorials.com. Urns can take the shapes of Bibles, sports trophies, baby booties, vaults, and sculptures.

Materials

• Urns are made from different materials such as wood, metal, bronze, glass, marble, and biodegradable products.

Sizes

• The size of an urn varies, according to Urngarden.com. An average body fills a 200 cubic inch urn.

Keepsakes

• People choose keepsakes if they decide to release some of the ashes. According to Funeral-urn.com, keepsakes are used to hold a smaller amount of ashes, heirlooms, or hair strands.

Pet Urns

• According to Urngarden.com, pet urns of 6 to 7 inches are used for small- to medium-sized pets. Larger pets can use adult-sized urns.