How long does it take for an average human body to decompose after a conventional burial?
Depending upon the body – if it has been embalmed (they use formaldahyde) the body can stay pretty much intact and not decompose for years. If however the body has not been embalmed the body will start to decompose from the very hour of death and will continue to decompose withing a matter of weeks the body will have been broken down into a sort of biological soup – depending upon soil type. Sandy or clay, will determine how long the coffin stays intact. If it is very wet soil like clay the coffin will decay pretty quickly, if it is sandy soil the coffin can remain intact for years. Usually a grave is “leased” for 99 years and can then be re-used to bury new bodies.
