Therefore, graves were always dug six feet deep to prevent body snatchers from gaining access to the buried remains. Another issue that people were worried about was animals digging up graves. An ancient practice of burying dead people six feet underground may have helped mask the odor of decay from predators.

The "six feet under" standard originated primarily as a public health measure during the 17th century, specifically during the Great Plague of London in 1665. The Lord Mayor of London ordered that all plague victims be buried at least six feet deep to prevent the spread of infection and to stop animals from scavenging the remains. While we now know the plague was largely spread by fleas, the practice stuck because it served other practical purposes: it was deep enough to protect bodies from grave robbers and "resurrectionists" but shallow enough for a single gravedigger to dig without the walls collapsing. In 2026, while six feet remains the cultural benchmark, actual laws vary; many modern cemeteries only require 3 to 4 feet of earth above the coffin, especially in regions with high water tables or rocky soil where digging deep is physically impossible.