Coffin lowering device in Tbilisi - mechanical lowering into the grave, 24/7

Lowering systems explained - how the device works and what you get

A coffin lowering device, known in Europe as a lowering system, is a metal frame set up over the grave. Two or three wide straps are stretched across the frame, and the coffin rests on them during the panikhida (the memorial service). With one movement of the operator's lever or button, a braking mechanism releases the straps at a controlled speed, and the coffin descends to the bottom of the grave in 40 seconds to a minute, without jolting, tilting or noise. Once it is down, the straps are freed from beneath the coffin automatically.

Lowering on ropes, still the usual practice in Tbilisi cemeteries, carries several risks: the coffin can tilt or strike the side of the grave, the bearers may not manage the weight, a rope can fray, and a bearer can slip on the muddy edge. The device removes all of this and gives the ceremony the calm solemnity that those final minutes deserve.

Our full service includes:

• delivering the device to the cemetery and installing it over the grave an hour before the family arrives;
• checking the dimensions and walls of the grave and, if necessary, adjusting the width of the frame;
• green or black drapery around the frame and an artificial turf mat along the edges of the grave, so the excavated earth cannot be seen;
• a stand for flowers and wreaths at the head of the frame;
• a certified operator who performs the lowering or helps a family member place a hand on the lever, if the family wishes;
• a back-up manual mechanism that guarantees the lowering is completed whatever happens;
• dismantling and removal after the lowering, before the gravediggers start filling in the grave.

Five models and the graves they are built for

Tbilisi's cemeteries vary greatly: in the newer sections graves are of standard size and paths are wide, while in the old cemeteries the device has to be carried along narrow passages and set up between neighbouring graves. That is why we keep several models.

All devices are European-made and undergo an annual technical inspection, and before every use the operator tests the straps and brake under load. The drapery and artificial turf are washed after each ceremony.

Graveside procedure in six steps

1. Call and details of the grave: the operator asks for the cemetery, the section, the type of grave (new, an earth family grave, or concrete with a niche), the coffin model and the time of the funeral. From these details we choose the model and quote the price.
2. Delivery and installation: the device arrives at the cemetery an hour before the ceremony. The operator checks the grave's dimensions and the strength of its walls, levels the frame and anchors it to the ground. Meanwhile the gravediggers remove the boards and even out the edges.
3. Drapery and dressing the graveside: green cloth is stretched around the frame, a turf mat is laid along the edges, the excavated earth is covered with black cloth and a flower stand is placed at the head. When the mourners arrive, the graveside looks neat and dignified.
4. Placing the coffin: the pallbearers set the coffin on the straps, and it rests securely on the frame throughout the panikhida. Family and mourners approach the coffin, lay flowers and say their goodbyes.
5. Lowering: at the priest's signal the operator slowly releases the lever, and the coffin descends evenly and silently to the bottom. Many families ask for the eldest son or the spouse to touch the lever - that is possible, with the operator standing alongside.
6. Releasing the straps and dismantling: after the lowering the straps are drawn out from under the coffin on the operator's side, and once the family's first handful of soil has fallen, the frame is quietly taken apart and carried away, after which the gravediggers begin their work.

Lowering device prices per ceremony

The hire is a one-off charge for a single ceremony and covers the operator, transport to any Tbilisi cemetery, installation, drapery, artificial turf and dismantling. Time is not counted: if the panikhida lasts two hours, the price remains the same.

The price goes up in only two cases: when the weight of the coffin calls for the heavy-duty model and a second operator, and when the cemetery lies outside the city. Carrying the narrow model through an old cemetery, adapting to the shape of the grave and bad weather do not change the price.

Paperwork for working at the cemetery

The family needs no additional documents to hire the device: it is part of the funeral and works within the permits that already exist for the burial. Below is what the operator needs to enter and work at the cemetery, and we take care of all of it ourselves.

• the cemetery administration's burial permit, which allows the vehicle and the device onto the grounds;
• the exact location of the grave: section and row, which the coordinator obtains from the administration or from the family;
• the device's technical inspection certificate, which the operator carries and shows to the administration on request;
• proof of the operator's training and liability insurance covering any incident during the ceremony;
• for burial in a crypt, permission to open the niche, which is arranged together with the documents for the family grave.

Technical requirements and difficult situations

Grave size and soil

The standard frame suits a grave 80 to 110 centimetres wide and 180 to 240 centimetres long. The supports stand on the ground 30 centimetres from the edge so the wall does not collapse. On clay or ground soaked by rain, wooden boards are placed under the supports to keep the device stable.

Old cemeteries and narrow passages

In the cemeteries of Vake, Kukia and Vera there is often less than half a metre between graves. Here the narrow folding model is carried in parts and assembled beside the grave. The frame's supports are never placed on neighbouring graves; where necessary, metal bridging plates are used.

Crypts and concrete niches

In concrete family tombs the coffin is not lowered from above but slid horizontally into a niche. In that case we use the roller platform, which raises the coffin to the level of the niche, and the operator slowly eases it inside. Sealing the niche is then done by stonemasons.

Rain, wind and winter

The device works in any weather. In rain the straps are waterproof and the brake sits in a closed housing; in wind the drapery is secured more firmly; and on frozen ground special boards are placed under the supports. The operator carries a tent that shelters the family at the graveside from the weather.

Reasons families book our lowering device

• Bookable 24/7: the device can be reserved as late as the evening before, and by morning it will be in place at the cemetery. In urgent cases we can send it to any cemetery within two hours.
• Experience: our operators carry out hundreds of lowerings a year at every Tbilisi cemetery and know where the soil is difficult, where the narrow model will fit and how to set up the frame without damaging neighbouring graves.
• Transparency: one price for one ceremony, with no time limit. Drapery, turf, the operator and transport are always included and never charged separately.
• Safety: the back-up manual mechanism and liability insurance mean the lowering will be completed with dignity whatever happens, and the family bears no risk at all.
• Appearance: covered earth, a green frame and a stand of flowers give the grave the look familiar from European and American cemeteries. This detail makes the memory of those last minutes easier for the family.

Frequently asked questions