Before modern cemeteries, the dead were typically
buried in churchyards, under family homes, in barrows (mounds), or in temporary graves that were later exhumed to store bones in charnel houses. Other historical practices included cremation, leaving bodies in caves, or, in some cultures, exposure to the elements.
Key historical methods for managing the dead included:

Churchyards and Family Plots: For centuries, the deceased were buried in churchyards, often without individual markers, or on private family land.
Charnel Houses: To manage space, bodies were often buried for 15–20 years, after which bones were exhumed, cleaned, and stored in a charnel house (a "bone house") to make room for new burials.
Barrows and Mounds: Prehistoric cultures often buried bodies under large circular or long earth mounds, which served as community landmarks.
Temporary Storage: In cold climates, bodies were stored in "dead houses" or mort-houses until the ground thawed for burial in the spring.
Exposure or Alternative Disposals: In some, particularly ancient or specialized, traditions, bodies were left in natural crevices, in caves, or, in some cases, hung in coffins from cliffs, Britannica.

These practices changed as populations increased and concerns about sanitation in urban areas led to the development of, or move towards, dedicated, often municipal, cemeteries in the 19th century.