Legal Definitions - exhumation

Definition: Exhumation is the act of removing something that has been buried in the ground, especially a human body. It is also known as disinterment.

• The exhumation of the famous author's remains was ordered by his family to confirm the cause of death.
• The exhumation of the ancient tomb revealed valuable artifacts that were previously unknown.

These examples illustrate how exhumation is the process of digging up something that has been buried. In the first example, the family wanted to investigate the cause of death, so they had the author's body exhumed. In the second example, the tomb was exhumed to uncover valuable artifacts that were hidden underground.