in antiquity, denotes a pyramid or pile of wood, whereon were anciently placed the bodies of the deceased, in order to be burnt.

The Romans borrowed the custom of burning their dead from the Greeks. The deceased, crowned with flowers, and dressed in his richest habits, was laid on the buttum. Some authors say, it was only called buttum, after the burning, quae bene ustum; before the burning it was more properly called pyra; during it, rogus; and afterwards, buttum. When the body was only burnt there, and buried elsewhere, the place was not properly called buttum, but ustrina, or ustrinum.

the Campus Martius, was a structure whereon the emperor Augustus first, and, after him, the bodies of his successors were burnt. It was built of white stone, surrounded with an iron palisade, and planted within side with alder trees.

Bustum was also figuratively applied to denote any tomb. Whence those phrases, facere bustum, violare bustum, &c.

Bustum of an altar, was the hearth or place where the fire was kindled.