A coffin 1 comprising a plurality of panels 6 mounted in apertures formed by a framework of rigid struts 4, 5 at least one of the struts including a groove in which the panel is releasably mounted. Preferably the one or more grooves are arranged such that external pressure (e.g. from the soil) collapses in the panel and introduces soil to the interior. Preferably the coffin has a lid 3 with some attachment means. In various embodiments one, some or all of the panels may collapse, and in another just the panel(s) 7 in the lid. Preferably handles are mounted to the frame and the coffin has a lining. The design speeds up decomposition of the corpse by immediately introducing soil to it.
