stone from ash: 'parting stone' turns cremated remains into solid pebbles

death tech startup ‘parting stone’ has thoughtfully developed a new way to honor the ashes of loved ones after cremation. the team creates a poetic token memorial by transforming ash remains into a collection of small pebbles to be displayed or carried, rather than hidden away. solid and clean, each stone varies in shape, texture, and size — from the size of a thumbnail to that of your palm. the team at parting stone comments on the spirit of the initiative: ‘many people want to feel a connection with the remains of their departed, but they can’t because they are returned in an uncomfortable granular form. this poor experience often results in remains being stashed away in our homes, out of sight, for decades. this detached relationship with one of our most treasured possessions is tragic.’ 

images courtesy of parting stone | @partingstone

the team at parting stone notes that their tiny pebble memorials offer a cleaner and more intimate alternative to uncomfortable ash. cremated remains are too often stored away in cupboards or closets, out of sight and hidden from memory. the new mexico-based group hopes that will never happen again, as the stones can help loved ones be remembered in a way that is uniquely special. the team at parting stone can transform the remains of either humans or pets. for $695 USD, the process of solidifying human remains results in approximately 40-60 stones.

each ‘parting stone’ expresses a hue that is unique and entirely natural. while many result in a shade of white or subtle blue or green, some more radical variations see hues of chocolate brown, lavender, honey, or blue speckles. the group explains the physical qualities of the stones: ‘solidified remains act and feel very much like normal river stones. the material is clean and permanent like ceramic. the solids will not dissolve in water or scratch with your fingernail. they will outlast us on earth.’

the process of solidifying ash to become a ‘parting stone’ involves refining, forming, firing, and polishing — only a few simple steps after cremation. once arrived at the parting stone lab, the full-amount of granular cremated remains are gently refined into powder. next, a small amount of binder is added to generate a clay-like material from which the solids are formed. the solids are carefully placed into a kiln for solidification and then are polished and returned to the family.