Final answer:
The term refers to a 'cinerary urn,' a vessel used to preserve the cremated remains of the deceased, which is also an artistic symbol representing the containment of beauty and meaning within literature and culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term defined by an urn designed specifically for dispersing the cremated remains it contains can be commonly referred to as a cinerary urn. This container, which has been used throughout history, essentially serves as a vessel to preserve the ashes of the deceased. The role of the urn has significance beyond its physical purpose; it represents an artistic symbol within literature and culture. John Donne and Thomas Gray, for instance, utilize the urn metaphorically in their poetry to convey the concept of containment and expression of artistic meaning. The urn symbolizes a 'storied urn' or 'well-wrought urn,' akin to a poem or any work of literature, carrying within it beauty, truth, and emotional power.
In historical context, such urns have taken various forms. For example, the Etruscans used hut urns to mimic their domiciles, while Romans adopted the practice of cremation with cinerary urns, often elaborately decorated. These shifts in funerary practices not only represent changes in cultural norms but also the intertwining of art and commemoration through the ages — from the Etruscan terracotta urns to John Baldessari's Cremation Project.