exposure

Exposure is a burial rite where human remains are left to be consumed by animals or weathered by the elements. This practice stems from the belief that corpses are unclean and should not contaminate the earth, fire, or water. Zoroastrians, for example, traditionally left bodies on hillsides for vultures. Some cultures also utilized platforms or trees for this purpose. This method contrasts with inhumation (burial in the earth) and water burial. Human composting, a newer practice, accelerates decomposition by treating remains with organic matter in a controlled environment to create soil.12