The final resting place for most of us is a grave.
This special place has adopted a standard depth of 6 feet. However, have you ever wondered why and when human beings saw it was fit to bury their loved ones "6 feet under"?
There are several propositions that try to trace the origin of this grave consideration.
One of the theories that feature in most publications suggests that the 1665 bubonic plague in England is the source of this standard measure.
The plague allegedly forced the Mayor of London to set standard burial regulations to control the disease.
This proposition is supported by a pamphlet titled, 'Orders Conceived and Published by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London Concerning the Infection of the Plague'.
This publication had a section that read "Burial of the Dead" with words directing, '...all the Graves shall be at least 6 foot deep.'
However, there are other reasons why it is advisable to dig a grave to this depth.
Safety due to the possible collapse of the grave, the average height of gravediggers and prevention of theft are other factors necessitating this consideration.
Additionally, there is a folklore that demanded that a man had to be burried as deep as his height. The fact that average height is six feet made most graves to be this deep.