This was not an uncommon custom in Europe up through the nineteenth century.
Byron's heart was buried in Greece (his body when shipped to England was
declined by Westminster Abbey.) The story that Shelley's heart was kept by
Mary wrapped in a copy of Adonais sounds apocryphal; I don't have the tools
here to investigate the question.
As for me, I have always been attracted by the following bequeathal:
"Give my feet to the footloose
Careless, fancy free
Give my knees to the needy
Don't pull that stuff on me
Hand me down my walking cane
It's a sin to tell a lie
Send my mouth way down south
And kiss ... "
-- John Prine
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