What Is A Potter's Field?

 A Potter's Field is a term used for a burial place, typically a cemetery or a designated area within a cemetery, where unidentified or indigent individuals are interred. These are often gravesites for those who cannot afford a proper burial or for those whose identities are unknown. The term originates from the biblical reference to the field purchased by the chief priests with the 30 pieces of silver returned by Judas Iscariot after he betrayed Jesus. This field was used to bury strangers and those who couldn't afford burial. Today, the term is used more broadly to refer to any burial ground for the poor or unknown.

In this 2018 photo, each white marker designates a mass grave of about 150 people on Hart Island in New York. Officials let reporters get a rare look, as the place that has served as New York City’s potter’s field for 150 years. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) .