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Why is the head always to the left in a casket?

The head is commonly turned to the left in a casket to ensure the body looks more comfortable and peaceful, while also allowing mourners a better view of the deceased's face. Occasionally, the head is also turned to the left for reasons related to Christian traditionalism.

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No one knows exactly what happens when we die, as far as what comes next. However, we can tell you what happens to your body. Oddly enough, when you think about it, every viewing or wake that you’ve ever been to probably featured the body and casket with the head facing to the left. However, if you’ve ever wondered why the head is always facing to the left in a casket, it’s actually pretty straightforward: The head is commonly turned to the left in a casket to ensure the body looks more comfortable and peaceful, while also allowing mourners a better view of the deceased’s face. Occasionally, the head is also turned to the left for reasons related to Christian traditionalism. Keep reading for a detailed overview of the various reasons why the head is placed to the left in a casket: 3 Reasons Why the Head is Always to the Left in a Casket As we’ve established, the design of the casket has a lot to do with it. However, there are also several other religious and practicality-based reasons why the head is commonly turned to the left in a casket.

These reasons include:

1. To Ensure The Body Looks Comfortable And Peaceful

Preparing a body for a viewing is a complicated undertaking (no pun intended). There are some very subtle things that are done with the body to ensure that it looks peaceful and comfortable in death. Firstly, it makes sense to place the head at a higher position than the feet since caskets are designed to taper downwards towards the feet. Placing the head where the feet normally are would create the impression that the body is on the precipice of a fall, which may distress those in mourning. However – once the head has been elevated – the body may look slightly rigid and uncomfortable if the deceased’s head is positioned directly towards their feet. As such, it’s customary for funeral directors to turn the head slightly to the left to ensure a more comfortable and natural appearance. The result is often one in which it looks like the deceased is simply lying down for a nap.

2. For a Better View of the Deceased’s Face

As we mentioned above, there are several things that a funeral home will do that are very subtle but make an impression, such as elevating and angling the head to ensure the deceased looks comfortable. However, angling the head to the left also allows mourners to obtain a better view of the deceased’s face when paying their respects, which allows for a more personal experience.

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3. Christian Traditionalism

To be a Christian means knowing that Christ will return one day, and the dead shall rise, born again in new bodies. It has always been thought that Christ’s coming would be from the east. That singular idea is why bodies are buried with the head pointing to the east. However, more often than not, clergymen – such as priests, bishops, and pastors – are often buried in the exact opposite direction, with their heads pointed to the west. The thinking behind this is that Christians should rise facing the coming of Christ, while the clergy should rise, facing their flock.

Is The Head Tilted To The Left At Closed Casket Funerals?

When preparing a body for a wake, funeral homes will generally turn the head ever so slightly, to afford everyone a better view of the person. It’s generally only done for that reason and not for any kind of spiritual or religious one. If the casket is closed, then the head is generally left alone as there is no reason to turn it one way or the other. The entire reasoning for moving the head is for viewing purposes and nothing else. Without that, a funeral home has no reason to do so unless it was purely by habit during the preparation.

Final Thoughts

Funerals are usually intensely personal, emotional, and spiritual events. For those reasons, my traditions and norms have become matter-of-fact proceedings as the body and casket are prepared. The head usually faces to the left for a variety of reasons and it has simply become a part of the culture in most societies. It’s not likely to change for a while either, as these practices took hundreds of years to cement themselves into modern-day funeral proceedings. If you found this piece insightful, be sure to browse through our article on the reasons why caskets have pillows next.

casketquestions.com - Why Is The Head Always To The Left In A Casket? | Full Guide

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