What were life signals designed to do?

Life signals were designed to indicate if someone was buried alive. In historical contexts, particularly before modern medical advancements, there was a genuine fear of premature burial. To address this concern, various devices and methods known as life signals were created. These mechanisms typically involved a bell, a flag, or a mechanism that would signal outside if the person inside the grave was still alive. This reflects a time when medical knowledge was limited, and the ability to determine if a person was indeed deceased was not always reliable.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary function of life signals. While alerting others about funeral services or the wishes of the deceased has its own importance, it doesn't relate to the specific historical usage of life signals. Similarly, notifying guardians of the deceased does not encompass the primary concern that life signals were created to address.