20 Unusual Urns For Ashes

An urn does not have to look like a vase. Among the twenty below are urns shaped like a lotus flower, a raindrop, a pyramid, a scallop shell and a heart, and two finished in a crystalline glaze that forms naturally in the kiln. If you are looking for unique urns for human ashes, every one here is on sale in our shop. Nineteen hold the ashes of one adult and one holds the ashes of two. Each description below comes from that urn's own product page. To see every design we carry, browse all our urns for ashes.

Quick answer: Unusual urns for ashes are urns that break from the traditional vase shape. They include sculptural forms such as a lotus, a raindrop or a pyramid, hand-thrown ceramic urns with a crystalline glaze, so no two are the same, and biodegradable urns shaped like a shell or a heart for a farewell on water or in the earth. Nineteen of the urns in this guide hold from 3 L (about 183 cu in) to 3.9 L (about 240 cu in), and the Shell water urn holds 6.55 L (about 400 cu in) for two people.

Pictured: Lotus Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Stainless Steel

Urns inspired by nature

The first five take their shapes and decoration from flowers, birds, butterflies and trees.

1. Lotus Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Stainless Steel: Stainless steel petals rise around a smooth central bulb in the shape of a lotus flower. It is made from marine-grade 316 stainless steel, suits indoor or outdoor display and holds 3.5 L (about 214 cu in).
2. Eternal Bloom Metal Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Bronze and Gold: A softly tapered metal urn with a matte bronze finish and raised gold-colored flowers and leaves across the front. It closes with a screw lid, is designed for indoor display and holds 3.6 L (about 220 cu in).
3. Soaring Doves Metal Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Green and Silver: A classic lidded shape covered in engraved soaring doves, picked out in silver on a green, finely patterned background. It is metal with a screw-top lid, made for display in the home, and holds 3.2 L (about 195 cu in).
4. Metal Butterfly Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Grey with Silver: A rounded metal urn finished in Grey with Silver: a glossy dark body with silver butterflies across the front. It has a screw closure, is made for indoor display and holds 3.2 L (about 195 cu in).
5. Tree of Life Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Stainless Steel: An open oval of brushed marine-grade stainless steel, with a Tree of Life cut through the metal at its center. It is filled from the base, suits indoor or outdoor display and holds 3.5 L (about 214 cu in).

For more designs from the natural world and the night sky, see our bird urns and star urns.

Pictured: Tree of Life Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Stainless Steel

Sculptural and modern urns

These six read as modern sculpture first and as urns second.

6. Drop Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Stainless Steel: Tall and shaped like a raindrop, in brushed marine-grade stainless steel. It is filled through the base, suits indoor or outdoor display and holds 3.5 L (about 216 cu in).
7. Pyramid Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Matte Black Stainless Steel: A pyramid in matte black stainless steel, inspired by the great pyramids of Giza. It is filled through the base, made for indoor display, and holds 3.5 L (about 214 cu in).
8. Tulip Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Matte Black Stainless Steel: A tall, curving form taken from the petals of a tulip, in matte black stainless steel and 27 cm (10.6 in) high. It is made for indoor display and holds 3.5 L (about 214 cu in).
9. Teardrop Candle Sphere Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes: Two ceramic hemispheres joined into a sphere on a base platform. The upper dome is cut with teardrop shapes and holds a candle, so the light shows through the pattern. It suits indoor or outdoor display and holds 3 L (about 183 cu in).
10. Saturn Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes: Named after the planet: a cream-toned ceramic hemisphere sits within a deep black band that wraps around it like Saturn's rings. It suits indoor or outdoor display, comes with adhesive for permanent sealing if you want it, and holds 3 L (about 183 cu in).
11. Lumos Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes: A rounded urn in soft matte white gres porcelain, with a recess that holds a tea light. It closes at the base, suits indoor and outdoor display and holds 3.8 L (about 232 cu in).

For more urns that read as art rather than a container, see 10 cremation urns that don't look like urns.

Pictured: Drop Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Stainless Steel

One-of-a-kind crystalline urns

A crystalline glaze forms naturally in the kiln as the urn is fired, so the pattern on each one is its own and no two are ever the same.

12. Jadeite Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes: Hand-thrown ceramic with a crystalline glaze in jade and sea-green tones. The lid holds a tea light. It is designed for display in the home and holds 3.6 L (about 220 cu in).
13. Emerald Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes: Hand-thrown ceramic with a crystalline glaze in emerald and soft green tones, in patterns like lily pads drifting on a river. The lid also holds a tea light. It is designed for display in the home and holds 3.9 L (about 240 cu in).

Pictured: Jadeite Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes

Biodegradable urns for water and earth

These urns are made to be released on water or buried. The first four are for water and the fifth is for burial in the earth.

14. Shell Biodegradable Water Urns for Ashes in Aqua Blue: A water urn shaped like a scallop shell, made by hand from plant-based material in a soft aqua blue. It holds two portions of remains, for two people released together. Set on the water, it floats for a short while, then sinks and breaks down. It holds 6.55 L (about 400 cu in).
15. Journey Biodegradable Water Urn for Ashes in Aqua Blossom - Adult: A slim water urn, 7.5 cm (3 in) deep, in aqua blue with a delicate blossom print. The ashes go into the biodegradable bag supplied, and no glue is needed to close it. It floats briefly, then sinks and breaks down naturally. It holds 3.61 L (about 220 cu in).
16. Oceane Round Quartz Biodegradable Water Urn for Ashes - Adult: A round urn formed from sand and natural gelatin and hand-painted with real crushed quartz. Small holes in the base let water in, so it floats only briefly before sinking, then dissolves gradually. It holds 3.28 L (about 200 cu in).
17. Himalayan Rock Salt Biodegradable Water Urn for Ashes - Adult: Carved by hand from natural Himalayan rock salt, a mineral formed over millions of years, and left in its natural, undyed tone. Set on the water, it dissolves fully within about four hours. It holds 3.31 L (about 202 cu in).
18. Love Heart Biodegradable Urn for Ashes in Floral - Adult: A heart-shaped earth burial urn, made by hand from mulberry bark harvested in a way that does not harm the tree, and finished with a pattern of flowers. Once buried, it returns naturally to the earth. It holds 3.28 L (about 200 cu in).

The Journey design comes in other prints in our Journey water urns, and the heart in other finishes in our Love Heart biodegradable urns. You can see them all in our biodegradable urns collection, and our guide to modern water urns for ashes explains how a farewell on water works.

Pictured: Journey Biodegradable Water Urn for Ashes in Aqua Blossom - Adult

A personal touch

The last two are built around a light: one pairs a candle with a photograph, the other holds a candle flame at its center.

19. Photo Candle Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Stainless Steel: Brushed stainless steel with a photo frame and a candle holder built in, so a face and a light sit together. It opens at the top with a press-fit closure, suits indoor or outdoor display and holds 3.5 L (about 214 cu in).
20. The Passage Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Cream: A flowing oval of ceramic, double-fired above 1200°C and glazed in a soft cream, with a candle holder in its central opening. It suits indoor and outdoor display and holds 3.2 L (about 195 cu in), enough for an adult of up to about 88 kg (195 lb).

The Passage also comes in other glazes, such as Oily Green and Midnight Blue, in our Passage urns.

Pictured: Photo Candle Adult Cremation Urn for Ashes in Stainless Steel

You can browse the full range any time in our adult cremation urns collection, and our urn size guide explains how to match a capacity to the ashes you have. If you are still deciding what to do with the ashes, our guide to what to do with ashes after cremation walks through every option.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as an unusual urn for ashes?

An unusual urn is one that breaks from the traditional vase shape. It might be a sculpture such as a lotus flower, a raindrop or a pyramid, carry a crystalline glaze that makes every piece one of a kind, or be a biodegradable urn shaped like a shell or a heart for water or earth burial. Each product page explains how that design is filled and closed.

Are unusual urns still full-size?

Yes. Nineteen of the urns in this guide are full adult size, holding between 3 L (about 183 cu in) and 3.9 L (about 240 cu in), and the Shell water urn holds 6.55 L (about 400 cu in), enough for two people. Our urn size guide puts full-size adult urns at 3.0 to 4.0 liters and says most crematoriums produce around 3.0 to 3.5 liters of ashes for an average adult, so compare the capacity with the ashes you have.

Can I display an unusual urn outdoors?

Yes, some unusual urns can be displayed outdoors. Of the urns in this guide, the product pages for the Lotus, Tree of Life, Drop, Teardrop Candle Sphere, Saturn, Lumos, Photo Candle and Passage urns say they suit outdoor display as well as indoor. The Eternal Bloom, Soaring Doves, Metal Butterfly, Pyramid, Tulip, Jadeite and Emerald urns are made for display indoors, in the home. Biodegradable urns are made for burial in water or earth. Check each urn's product page before placing it outside; our guide to garden urns for ashes has more.

Are biodegradable urns suitable for water burial?

Yes, biodegradable water urns are made for water burial. The Shell, Journey and Oceane water urns float briefly, then sink and break down, and the Himalayan Rock Salt urn dissolves fully within about four hours. Other biodegradable urns are made for the earth: the Love Heart urn in this guide is an earth burial urn that returns naturally to the soil once buried.

What shapes can an urn for ashes be?

An urn for ashes can be almost any shape. The urns in this guide include a lotus flower, a raindrop, a pyramid, a tulip, a rounded dome set in a ring like the planet Saturn, an open oval framing a cut-out tree, a scallop shell and a heart. Nineteen hold the ashes of one adult, and the Shell water urn holds the ashes of two people.

Last updated: 15 October 2026.