Dean-Four Months Gone

im pretty certain the angels restored him completely, when they dragged him out of hell, its a different kinda form people take down there, in that its not there earthly bodies, and the hand print is likely to do with creative license implying castiel literally pulled him out of hell. Bobby explains why Dean was buried also, i think in the first of episode of last season. Lazarus Rising, it was because Sam was convinced he could bring Dean back, and said he would need his body when he did. Didn't you see all of the episode, or were you just no paying attention? lol hope this helped

His body wasn't rotting because the angel's restored it to it's former glory (sans scars and what not). Castiel's handprint was there because, well, when you're yanked out of hell, it's gonna leave a mark. (Plus, it provided the psychic -whose name escapes me at the moment- something to touch that whatever had pulled him out had touched, something she said she needed when they did the seance type thing) As far as the burial, Bobby stated that Sam refused to allow anyone to salt and burn Dean's bones, because he said Dean would need a body when he got him out.

thanks and lol, no i just forgot and also b/c since Sam delved so far with Ruby, that, it became a contest of Lilith's death more so than for Dean's revival

Remember the conversation in the mock Frankenstein episode where Dean was wondering, if everything had been restored, if he was a virgin again? I get the impression he's 100% again.

Yeah, Sam wanted Dean's body kept so he would have a place to go when he was brought, back, the angels restored him completely, and I think sono is completely right that the handprint was a plot device to give them a way to track the thing that brought Dean back. btw, the psychic's name was Pamela Barnes.