The body “facing west” captured my attention. Recall reading the phrase, “he’s gone west”, signifying death many times in English literature from my teen years on. Avalon of the Arthurian legends was also to the west. So it appears to have ancient origins.
[snip] was the same ancient fever in the Isles of the Blest
that our fathers brought with them when they went West
it’s the blood of the druids that never will rest
The Giant will rise with the Moon. [/snip]
Stan Rogers, “The Giant”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skbnjd6_tBU