Gravestones - Speak About The Heritage Of The Past

By Author: SamMapes
Total Articles: 4
Comment this article

Graves are built for the remembrance of the deceased person and for conducting related memorials. The name of the person who has passed away and his birth particulars are usually marked on the gravestones. That apart the names of the close relatives who die after the death of the first person are added on it gradually. Thus they stand as a record spreading the history of the entire family over decades. These stones are considered as a symbol of wealth or pride of the family and hence due care and importance are given while building them. The headstone is usually carved from stones of different materials. From the marker of the headstone you can make out the wealth of the deceased family or person.

The tombstone stands as an emblem of funeral art and it is actually the lid for the underlying coffin. It exists as the stone slab which is built over the grave. In olden days, the grave also includes a footstone for decorating the foot end of the coffin. The footstones contain the name of the deceased person and date of death. Now in many cemeteries placing of footstone is fading off and it certainly includes only the headstone ...
... and the marker which is placed on the grave. Carving a headstone is itself as an art. Not that it reveals the pride and wealth of the family who are buried in it; it also depicts the tradition of funeral art which is imprinted on it. In many churchyards they often remove the footstone for maintaining the place cleaner and for removing the grass surrounding it.

Some rich people of Christian community erect their own tombstone even when they are alive. They do this for revealing their status and also consider it as a matter of pride. In some cases, memorials are erected within Churches with grand memorials and tombstone. In case some people may not have a grave to mark, the Crematoria extend help in the form of providing commemorative inscription well within the graveyard itself. Often crematoria observe certain code of practice for constructing the gravestones in specific standard and sizes. This is more common in the conservative area where people tend to follow certain traditions and belief systems.

The tombstones are made of materials like granite, marble and sandstone. They are constructed and installed by monumental masons who are professionals in handling them. Modern methods of carving the headstone employ computer controlled machines by adding special artwork for carving the stone.