Environmental Influences on Inuit Eskimo Funeral Practices The importance of funerals is universal to practically all cultures. The need to dispose of the dead seems to derive less from the survivors' affections as from their fears. Many cultures believe that the dead have a natural tendency to return to the place where they once lived. It is believed that the appropriate funeral ceremony will prevent this from occurring. The various practices involved in each ceremony vary between cultures. Rarely, is mere burial considered a sufficient precaution against the return of a ghost. The development of different funeral practices can, in some cases, be related to the physical environment in which the people lived. One example of how environmental influences can affect funeral ceremonies is seen with the Inuit Eskimos of Greenland.
In 1972, eight mummified bodies were found at Qilakitsoq on the west coast of Greenland. The six women and tw
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