Short answers, pulled from the story.
Funeral rites emerged in the Neanderthal era at least 300,000 years ago. Archaeologists discovered Neanderthal skeletons surrounded by layers of flower pollen in Shanidar Cave, Iraq, and Pontnewydd Cave, Wales. These findings suggest deliberate burial practices and a complex belief system existed during that time.
Bahá'í burial law requires the body to be wrapped in a shroud of silk or cotton with a ring inscribed with specific words placed on its finger. The body is interred with feet facing the Qiblih, and a specific Prayer for the Dead is recited before burial.
Ancient Greeks performed the próthesis where the body was laid out on a funeral bed, followed by the ekphorá, a solemn silent procession to the burial site. In ancient Rome, the eldest surviving male of the household attempted to catch the last breath of the decedent, and professional undertakers called libitinarii organized public processions with masks bearing the images of the family's deceased ancestors.
The Green Burial Council was established in 2005 to certify burial practices for funeral homes and cemeteries. The first explicitly green burial cemetery in the United States opened in South Carolina before this organization was formed.
Notable recent celebrations of life ceremonies were held for René Angélil and Maya Angelou. These events focus on the life that was lived rather than mourning their death and often take place in locations such as country clubs, restaurants, beaches, and urban parks.
Humanists UK organizes a network of humanist funeral celebrants across England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Channel Islands. Humanist funerals were held for well-known people including Claire Rayner, Keith Floyd, Linda Smith, and Ronnie Barker.