Cremation urns in Tbilisi - metal, wood, ceramic, stone and biodegradable

Urn materials and prices

Any urn can be engraved with the name, dates and a short epitaph, and a photo ceramic plaque can be fixed to stone and ceramic urns. A standard urn is already included in the cremation package; if you choose a different model, you pay only the difference.

Choosing an urn by what will happen to the ashes

• Burial in a grave: a metal or stone urn that can withstand moisture and the weight of the soil. Some families choose a biodegradable urn so that, in time, the ashes become one with the earth.
• Columbarium niche: an urn of marble, granite or elegant metal, since it is often visible behind glass. Its size must match the niche, so check this in advance.
• Keeping at home: a wooden or ceramic urn that sits naturally in the room and rests quietly in the family's everyday surroundings.
• Travel abroad: metal or dense wood, which can be X-rayed at the airport. Stone and some metals block X-rays, which complicates security screening, so for the journey we recommend a different urn.
• Scattering the ashes: a biodegradable or easy-opening urn, if the family plans to scatter the ashes in nature, on privately owned land where the owner has agreed.

Size and capacity

An adult's ashes usually weigh between two and four kilograms and take up about three to four litres. Standard urns are made for exactly this volume. Small urns are made for children, and a double urn with two compartments is sometimes chosen for a married couple whose ashes are to rest together. There are also mini urns, or keepsake urns, which hold a small portion of the ashes: several family members can each keep one while the main urn rests in a grave or columbarium.

Engraving and personal touches

An urn with nothing on it but a factory number feels impersonal to a family. That is why almost everyone adds the name and dates, and many go further: a cross, an ornament with a flower or a bird, a short epitaph, or a copy of the person's signature taken from an old letter or document. On metal and stone the engraving is done by laser, on wood it is burned or carved, and on ceramic it is applied under the glaze. The family sees every option in a mock-up before work starts and approves the wording in writing.

Our process, step by step

1. Choosing: the family looks at urns in our office or in photos sent by WhatsApp, with sizes and prices.
2. Inscription: the family approves the name and dates in writing; engraving takes one to three days.
3. Delivery to the crematorium: we take the urn to the crematorium ourselves, where the ashes are sealed inside it with an identification number.
4. Handover to the family: the urn is handed over together with the cremation certificate, usually in a protective bag or box.
5. Next steps: on request we also organise laying the urn in a grave, fitting out a columbarium niche or sending it abroad.

Biodegradable urns: who chooses them

Biodegradable urns have become steadily more popular in recent years, especially in families whose loved one was fond of nature. They are made from pressed paper, clay, coconut fibre or natural salt and break down in the soil within a few months, letting the ashes mingle naturally with the earth. Some come with a seed capsule from which a tree or flower grows. Families often bury such an urn in the family grave, in their home village or in a private garden with the owner's consent, and plant a tree above it.

Travelling with an urn

Many families take an urn to another city or country, where their loved one wished to be buried or where the family now lives. Most airlines accept an urn in hand luggage, provided the passenger carries the crematorium certificate and the document confirming the urn was sealed, and the urn itself can pass through an X-ray scanner. Before travelling we suggest checking your airline's rules, packing the urn in a soft protective bag and keeping the documents close at hand. We prepare these papers, and if needed we can also arrange shipment abroad.

Keeping the ashes temporarily

Sometimes a family needs time to choose an urn or decide where it will be buried. In that case the crematorium releases the ashes in a standard sealed container, in which they are kept safely until the final urn is chosen. Transferring the ashes into the new urn is done respectfully, with or without the family present, and there is no extra charge for it.

An urn for two

Some elderly couples ask in advance that their ashes rest together. For this there is a double urn with two compartments and a shared lid, or two matching urns in a common case or niche. When the first spouse's ashes are sealed in a double urn, the second compartment stays empty and can be used years later without any difficulty, with our help. The second part of the inscription is added at that time.

Urns across faiths and cultures

The shape and decoration of an urn are often guided by the family's faith and culture. Catholic and Protestant families frequently choose an urn with a cross or a Bible verse, while families of Buddhist and Hindu tradition, for whom cremation is the main rite, often prefer a simple urn of natural material. Non-religious families tend to go for a minimalist design with a name and a single word, or an urn that reflects the person's hobby or profession. For Orthodox families who chose cremation because circumstances required it, the urn usually bears only the name, the dates and a cross.

An urn at home: practical points

In many countries keeping ashes at home is a normal practice, and some Georgian families make the same choice, particularly while the place of burial has not yet been decided. The urn should then stand in a dry, stable spot out of children's reach, with the cremation certificate kept beside it. Some families place a photo, a candle and an icon next to it, and it becomes a small memorial within the home. If the family later decides to bury the urn, we can arrange that at any time.

Frequently asked questions