Exhumations are the digging up of buried remains or bodies to conduct further investigation. There are different uses of the word exhumation, including exhumation of graves, archaeological exhumation, and forensic exhumation. Synonyms for exhumation include disinterment, unearthing, excavation, and disentombment. The term disinterment is commonly used in legal contexts and denotes the removal of a body from a grave for legal purposes. Unearthing is a term used to describe the excavation of human remains or artifacts. Excavation is a general term used to describe the process of removing earth. Disentombment is used often in the context of removing bodies from tombs or crypts.