Headstones

Obelisks Researched by: Russell Gray         

Obelisks are usually found on the graves of people with a high social status or family burial sites. Obelisks usually have a square base and a long middle piece called a shaft. They are shaped to look like a finger pointing to heaven or a ray from the sun. Egyptian obelisks have pyramids on the top, and symbolize Ra, the giver of all life. Others can have anything from a kind of roof to a cross to an urn. There are lots of different variations. Obelisks were most popular during the Victorian era, and are very noticeable in cemeteries.

Obelisk headstone (above) located the Antioch Pioneer Cemetery (click to enlarge)

"Victorian Cemetery monuments." Online Image. Rochester's History. 2003. ABC services. 6 Feb 2007 <http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/index.htm>.

Column Headstones

A column is like an obelisk, except more pillar-like. It is divided into three parts, just like an obelisk. It has a base, a shaft, and a capital, or top. On top of the capital, there will usually be a ball or urn. Columns can be found on family burial sites or the graves of those with high social statuses. The columns can be Egyptian, Roman, or Greek in design.

"Friends of Balmoral Cemetery." Online Image. Brisbane's living heritage network. 2007. ToadShow. 6 Feb 2007 <http://www.brisbanelivingheritage.org/01_cms/details.asp?ID=582>.

Ground Level Headstones Researched by : Jordan Johnson

A ground level headstone is usually flat and less than an inch above the ground. Usually they do not have much information on them.

The picture is a ground level headstone located in the St. Joseph Cemetery (click to enlarge)

 

Pulpit Headstones Researched by: Jordan Johnson

Pulpit tombstones are also known as slant face. They are usually made of granite or marble. They were commonly used from the 1880’s to 1910, and even to 1930. Often they look like an open book or a small lectern. Sometimes they resemble a bible, and if the bible or book is opened near the beginning, the person died at an early age.

 "Pulpit or slant faced headstones." CSI. geolit.org. 6 Feb 2007 <online>.

Bi-columnar Headstone Researched by: Annie Cronenwett

A bi-columnar headstone, which is also called a Gateway headstone, is a headstone with 2 columns that connect to make an arch. They can be anywhere from 2 feet to 20 feet tall. The columns and the arch are referred to as “The Portal to Eternity”. It is commonly used for husband and wife graves. It’s also used for Masonic graves. They usually are made of granite or marble. It is a lot like the quad-columnar headstone. The only main difference is that the quad-columnar has 4 columns instead of 2. The decorations can be very exquisite to pretty plain.

Cross Vault Researched by: Annie Cronenwett

A cross vault obelisk has a square base with tapers going upward. The top of the tombs looks like the top of a church or a house. The lines on the top look as if they would be touching. This is from the Victorian era and was common in the 1800’s. They are usually found on people of high social status. They stand out and are easily noticed. 

The Cross Vault headstone (above) was found in the Shawnee Mission Indian Mission. (click to enlarge)

"Obelisk." Geolit. 6 Feb 2007 <http://www.geolit.org/headstones/obelisks.htm>.
"Bi-Columnar or "Gateway" headstones." Geolit. 6 Feb 2007 <http://www.geolit.org/headstones/bicolumnar.htm>.
“Cross Vault Obelisk”. Online Image. Geolit. February 6, 2007. <http://geolit.org/RockvilleCSI/Cross-Vault%20Obelisks.htm>
“Bi-columnar or “Gateway” headstone”. Online Image. Geolit. February 6, 2007. <http://www.geolit.org/headstones/bicolumnar.htm>

Tablet Headstones Researched by: Tim Dormady

Tablet headstones are tall, wide and nit very thick. The can be straight or curved or have a fancy design. They are usually made of marble, most of the time have a curved top, and are common in the 1880’s-1890. They are often about 28 inches high. Sometimes more than one is put together to signal more than one person has died in one family.

The tablet headstone (above) was found in the Fuller Cemetery (click to enlarge)

Ferguson, Linda. "tablet markers." Geolit.org. Geoliteracy Project. 6 Feb 2007 <http://www.geolit.org/headstones/tabletmarkers.htm>.
Powell, Kimberly. “Basic Tablet Style Tombstone”. Online image. genealogy.about.com. 2006 <http://genealogy.about.com/od/cemetery_records/ig/tombstone_tablet/basic.htm>

Block Markers Researched By: Miranda Pelletier

Block markers are tall, wide, and thick, and usually have rounded tops. They are about two feet high and two feet across. They are usually made of granite. They have been used in pioneer times, Victorian times, and are still used today. Block markers come in many different shapes and designs.

"Block Markers." Headstone Types in Pictures and Words. 6 Feb 2007 <http://www.geolit.org/headstones/blockmarkers.htm>.              
“Block markers.” Online Image. Antioch Cemetery Tombstones. 6 Feb 2007 <http://www.newmexicoalhn.net/antiochtombstones.htm>.
 

Found in the Shawnee Cemetery (click to enlarge)

Scroll Tombstone Researched by: Ereka Hunt

A scroll tombstone is a tombstone that looks like a scroll. The scroll can be a single scroll that sits on a block or tombstone. The scroll can also be open. The inscriptions are usually on the part of the tombstone, not the scroll.

BJD Stone. Online Image. 6 Feb. 2007 <http://www.bjdstone.com/Pages/Headstones.htm>.
Ferguson, Linda, and Eva Lamar. "Scroll." CSI Rockville. 2004. 6 Feb. 2007 <http://geolit.org/RockvilleCSI/Scroll.htm>.
"Scrolls." Headstones Types in Pictures and Words. 6 Feb. 2007 <http://www.geolit.org/headstones/scrolls.htm>.

Gothic Headstones Researched by: Taylor Hockersmith

Gothic headstones are normally about two feet tall, not very thick, and made of marble. They typically have a pointed arch at the top of them, and can sometimes have two arches. They were popular from about 1850 to early 1900s.

Found at the Shawnee Cemetery (click to enlarge)

dianahoare.co.uk, "Headstones." Diane Hoare 6 Feb 2007 < www.dianahoare.co.uk/lettercarver/headstones.htm>.

Raised Top Tombstone Researched by: Laura Kovach

A raised top tombstone would be flat to the ground if it weren’t for the raised top, as the name suggested. However, the raised top is not very raised, only coming about six inches above the ground. The top is generally flat.

Ferguson, LaMar. "HEADSTONE TYPES- SIDE A." HEADSTONE TYPES-SIDE A. 2003. The Geo-Literacy Project. 6 Feb 2007 <http://csiwebquest.org/CSIExpert/forms/Headstone_types_1.doc>.
“Kelsey’s pictures part 2” Online image. Kelsey’s
Memorial Dolphin Page. 01/26/2007. 6 Feb 2007 <http://webpenguin.com/family/kelsey/kelsey5.htm

Read this article to get an overview Grave markers and Headstones.

Types of Headstones

Interesting Headstone

Types of Tombs http://cml.upenn.edu/nola/14history/L1historypgtombs.html
Slot and Tab Tombs (other information) http://www.darkfiber.com/tomb/
Table and Box Tombs http://www.darkfiber.com/tomb/cemeteries/table/index.html

Tombs http://www.tngenweb.org/darkside/typology.html
Above Ground Burial http://www.experienceneworleans.com/deadcity1.html