Burned a dead body at very high temperatures until only ash remains, as an alternative to burial.
From Latin 'cremare' (to burn), cremation dates back to ancient Rome and prehistoric cultures; the practice became more common in modern Western societies in the 20th century.
Cremation rates vary wildly by country—in Japan it's over 70%, in the United States around 50%, but in Catholic-majority countries it was forbidden until 1963 because the Church required full-body resurrection!
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