Sky Burial & Excarnation
Learn about Tibetan sky burial and excarnation practices where bodies are naturally exposed to elements and wildlife.
Tibetan Buddhism & Sky Burial
Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Official site with teachings on Tibetan Buddhist death practices.
FPMT Death & Dying Practices
Foundation for Preservation of Mahayana Tradition resources.
Tibetan Book of the Dead
Sacred text guiding consciousness through death and rebirth.
Tibetan Death Rituals Explained
Educational resource on traditional Tibetan Buddhist practices.
Tibetan Cultural Centers
Central Tibetan Administration
Official site of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
International Campaign for Tibet
Advocacy organization preserving Tibetan culture.
Tibetan Cultural Society
Resources on Tibetan traditions including death customs.
Tibet Museum
Preserve and promote Tibetan cultural heritage.
Zoroastrian Towers of Silence
World Zoroastrian Organization
Information on Zoroastrian excarnation traditions.
Federation of Zoroastrian Associations
North American Zoroastrian community resources.
Parsi Funeral Traditions
Educational resource on Zoroastrian death practices.
Ancient Zoroastrian Practices
Historical context of Towers of Silence.
Body Donation for Science
Forensic Anthropology & Body Farms
UT Body Donation Facility
University of Tennessee Anthropology Center body farm.
Texas State Body Donation
Forensic Anthropology Center accepting body donations.
NC State Forensic Sciences
Research facility studying human decomposition.
Smithsonian Osteology
Research on skeletal remains and decomposition processes.
Educational Resources
Atlas Obscura: Sky Burials
In-depth article on Tibetan sky burial traditions.
Smithsonian on Sky Burial
Scientific and cultural exploration of the practice.
Sky Burial Explained
Comprehensive guide to sky burial customs worldwide.
BBC: Tibetan Sky Burials
Documentary coverage of traditional sky burial ceremonies.
Understanding Sky Burial
Sky burial is a sacred religious practice primarily in Tibetan Buddhism, viewed as a final act of generosity where the body feeds vultures and returns to nature. It's generally not available to non-practitioners and is illegal in most Western countries. In the West, the closest legal alternatives are body donation to forensic anthropology research facilities ("body farms") or medical schools, which allow natural decomposition for scientific study.