What is the term for a place where dead human bodies are kept until identified?

A morgue is specifically designed as a facility where deceased human bodies are stored until they can be identified, examined, or claimed. This term is commonly used in the context of medical examination and forensic investigation, as it is often associated with hospitals, medical examiners, and law enforcement agencies. The primary function of a morgue is to ensure that the bodies are preserved in a controlled environment until necessary procedures, such as autopsy or identification, take place.

The other terms, while related to death and the handling of human remains, serve different purposes. A mortuary typically refers to a place where funeral services are conducted and where bodies are prepared for burial or cremation, but it focuses more on the process of caring for the deceased rather than solely identifying them. A crematory is a facility specifically equipped for the cremation process and does not serve as a storage location for unidentified bodies. An ossuary, on the other hand, is a container or chamber for the bones of dead people, often used once bodies have already been buried or cremated, and is not related to the initial identification of deceased individuals.