Ossuaries refer to containers or receptacles used for the storage of human bones or skeletal remains after the flesh has decayed. Some synonyms for this word include bone boxes, charnel houses, crypts, sepulchers, tombs, and catacombs. Bone boxes are small ossuaries that can hold a few bones, while charnel houses, catacombs, and crypts are larger and can hold many remains. Sepulchers and tombs have a more sophisticated feel as they are used to bury respected members of the society. These words are often used interchangeably and evoke a sense of the macabre, but ossuaries have been used for centuries to store remains and honor the dead.