Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Different Styles For Grave Stone Markers

By Olivia Banks


When an individual chooses to be buried instead of cremated, it is customary for their final resting place to be marked by a special plaque or monument. This is a way for one to be immortalized upon the Earth, leaving behind their name, dates and even special words of wisdom for all time. Graves Headstones are available in several styles, each with endless variations.

For hundreds of years, people have used stones as a way to mark a burial plot. The earliest forms were made with plain rocks, but as time progressed, people began to write identifying information on the markers in the form of symbols, numbers and words. That soon grew to engraving and the modern concept of specifically designed interment monuments.

Placed at the head of a grave, these markers usually bare the name of the person buried there, as well as their birthday and the day of their passing. They may be one of several variations of upright stones in an endless array of shapes, or they could be a low profile slab of metal or rock. Some of the more common designs are tablets, crosses and pedestals with urns or angels on top.

The most common style found in cemeteries around the world is the standard upright slab of stone, usually granite, either standing on its own or attached to a horizontal base. These can be shaped in many forms such as scroll tops, religious symbols, domed tablets or simple rectangles. Quite often, couples or families who have purchased multiple plots together, will have markers that hold the information for more than one person.

Bevels are a type of marker that has a wide base and a back side that is raised higher than the front by roughly two to four inches. It resembles a thick, flat slab but the angle makes it easier to read and keep clean. Slanted gravestones are quite similar in design though their rear edge is up by about forty-five degrees.

The Victorian era tombstones found in some of the oldest graveyards were the inspiration for the modern Gothic tablet style. These borrow the elaborate scrolling lines, ornate arches and detailed angles that were indicative of that period's architectural designs used in churches. They have a classic and interesting beauty.

Obelisks are impressive monuments, towering like tall tapered shards. They are beautiful structures that were originally found in ancient Egypt and often sport items such as angels, stars, pyramids or eagles at the topmost point. These are just a few of the many styles of grave headstones available in modern times.




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