Editing Burial (section)

===Burial at cross-roads===
Historically, '''burial at [[Crossroads (culture)|cross-roads]]''' was the method of disposing of [[Capital punishment|executed]] [[criminals]] and [[suicide]]s.<ref name=EB1911/> In Great Britain this tradition was altered by the [[Burial of Suicide Act 1823]], which abolished the legal requirements of burying suicides and other people at crossroads. [[Junction (road)|Cross-roads]] form a crude cross shape and this may have given rise to the belief that these spots were selected as the next best burying-places to consecrated ground. Another possible explanation is that the ancient [[Teutons|Teutonic]] (Germanic) ethnic groups often built their altars at the cross-roads, and since human sacrifices, especially of criminals, formed part of the ritual, these spots came to be regarded as execution grounds. Hence after the introduction of [[Christianity]], criminals and suicides were buried at the cross-roads during the night, to assimilate as far as possible their funeral to that of the [[paganism|pagans]]. An example of a cross-road execution-ground was the famous [[Tyburn]] in [[London]], which stood on the spot where the [[Roman road]] to [[Edgware]] and beyond met the Roman road heading west out of London.<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911|inline=1 |wstitle=Cross-roads, Burial at |volume=7 |page=510}}</ref>

Superstition also played a part in the selection of crossroads in the burial of suicides. Folk belief often held such individuals could rise as some form of [[undead]] (such as a [[vampire]]) and burying them at crossroads would inhibit their ability to find and wreak havoc on their living relations and former associates.