Gravestone as a Historical Document

Permission granted for use by Ohio Historical Society
http://www.ohiohistory.org

© History WORKS 2003
Cemetery Tutorial

The following directions and questions will help you see the gravestone as a historical document. Read the writing on the stone. Look for names, dates, biographical information, poetry, inscriptions, and epitaphs, all of which are important to note and save for reference.

What are you able to immediately conclude about the person memorialized by this marker? What language is the text?

Look at symbols incorporated into the stone. Often, markers display symbols associated with age (for example, children’s stones typically exhibit lambs), religious tradition, occupation, organizational membership, and military affiliation. Note the overall artwork on and of the stone. Early gravestones were carved in a fashion dictated by period fashion, local tastes, and the carver’s ability. Therefore it is likely that you can piece together a chronology of style as you observe more and more stones. In some cases, small towns that traded heavily with large cities may have imported stones rather than carving them locally. The connection should be visible with enough observation.

How is the artwork or style different of similar to those next to it? Was the design carved by hand with a chisel, was it carved by a machine, or was it etched with a new type of technology?

Sketch the design in proportion to the entire stone and include the writing. What type of stone was used for the marker? Wealthy or important people in the community used expensive stones such as granite and marble, while the poorer folks may have used wood, lime or sandstone. Government-issued military gravestones are uniform in design and made of marble, granite, or bronze. Military graves will be easy to identify.

Note the size, shape and style of the gravestone. Measure the height, width, and depth. Don’t attempt to climb a tall gravestone; it is better to estimate the measurements than to risk damaging the stone. Compare the stone with style guides and carver directories. Although the date of creation may be noted on the stone, these manuals can help place the stone in a local and national context.

 Finally, note the landscaping directly around the stone. How is it cared for? Note the vegetation and decoration. Were flowers placed or planted at the grave? Have visitors left photos or memorabilia behind?

You may want to record and photograph this material, but never remove anything from a grave. Now look at the grave in relation to the entire graveyard. This type of evaluation is called landscape architecture and is a useful tool for studying community attitudes, morals, norms, and values through the layout and design of the artificial or created environment. Begin by observing individual graves, move out to the graveyard, and then to the larger town.

How old is the cemetery? How did you come to this date? Is the graveyard still in use?

You can determine this by asking the caretaker or looking for fresh fills. Create a map of the graveyard on graph paper. Note the number of graves, the dates, occupations, and familial relationships. From this information, try to reconstruct the progress and development of the town by creating a timeline based on the graves.

When did the oldest doctor in the yard die? Mayor? Blacksmith? When do you notice a major change in gravestone design and construction techniques?

Looking at your map, note any patterns in the situation or alignment of the graves? Is there a dominant pattern? Does the pattern change over time? How might this arrangement be significant? Are there any graves that do not fit with the larger pattern? What is different about them, who are buried there and when?

Often slaves, foreigners, criminals, and other people outside the mainstream were buried beyond the primary grounds. Be sure to mark all of the roads and pathways throughout the yard.

How are they constructed? Do their paths follow a grid, are they determined by the natural landscape, or do they seem to be completely random?

Does the cemetery have a fence and/or gate? In what style was it constructed? What type of material was used? Is the fence functional or decorative?

Note all the buildings located in the graveyard. Where are they in relation to the graves? What purpose do they serve? How and in what style are they constructed? How well is the graveyard maintained? Does it appear as though regular maintenance is performed or has the cemetery been neglected? Where is the Graveyard located in the village, town or city? Is it in a place of prominence or hidden? Is it on a church, mosque or synagogue’s property, a residential area, government land, or a secular space? How does the graveyard relate to the function of the surrounding property? Do you think the land was originally designated as a burial ground when the first grave was dug? Why or why not? Does the landscape architecture of the graveyard reflect that of the town? In what ways? What can you conclude about the people of the town that house and maintain the graveyard?

 Go to a local cemetery and look at the gravestones and yard. Sketch a couple of markers that catch your attention. When you return, use field and style guides to identify the symbolism in the gravestone in order to better understand the deceased’s life. Map the graveyard on the other graph. Take a random sample of gravestones and note the names, dates and occupations that appear on them. Use this information to create a preliminary timeline of the town’s history. Compare the map of the graveyard to a map of the town. What conclusions can you make from the research? Compare your timeline to a book on local history. How accurate is your work?