A graveyard is a burial ground. It is usually located near a church. The church controls the graveyard and has stipulations regarding who can be buried there.
During the rapid population growth of the early 19th century, church graveyards began to fill up. As a result, independent sites called cemeteries became popular.
Definition
The terms graveyard and cemetery are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two. A graveyard is affiliated with a church and usually found on the church grounds or adjacent to it. A cemetery, on the other hand, is separate from a church and can be used by people of any faith or no faith at all.
Historically, people who were members of a specific church were buried in their churchyard. When that space became full, church leaders began to build new cemeteries on land outside of the church. This gave them greater control over who was buried on their property, and they could impose stipulations on the headstones of those who were laid to rest in the graveyard.
Today, the term graveyard is still mostly used to refer to the burial ground on a church’s property. However, many people use the term cemetery when referring to a more modern, separate burial ground.
History
Historically, churchyards were often used for burial. This was a major source of income for local churches and chapels.
People buried in graveyards had headstones engraved with their names, dates of birth and death and other important biographical information. Rich families would compete to have the most elaborate carved headstone.
Some modern graveyards are more like parks than places of mourning. There’s even a company that is developing tech to let loved ones know when their ancestors have passed on. This is a sign that the worlds of the living and dead remain closely linked.
Symbolism
Many symbols on a gravestone have more than one interpretation. For example, hands clasped signify unity and love; a hand reaching down indicates God’s care or Jesus’ Last Supper. A weeping angel symbolises sorrow; a rose bud with a broken stem is a reminder of life cut short.
Other symbols have more specific meanings: an open book may signify a person’s love of reading and learning; an hourglass represents the speed at which time passes by; wings on a winged hourglass indicate flight into the next realm; an inverted torch symbolises a life extinguished, while a lit torch signifies eternal life. Other symbols have associations with orders, professions or institutions – stumps for the Woodmen of the World fraternal organization; squares and compasses for Masonic orders; a hammer and anvil for blacksmiths; a palette and brush for artists.
Animals also have symbolic meanings – owls represent wisdom; lions strength; thistles earthly sorrow; oaks longevity; and rabbits humility and gentleness. The recurring skulls and crossbones are a reminder of mortality (Memento Mori).
Etymology
Though sometimes used interchangeably, the terms graveyard and cemetery carry different connotations. Graveyard describes the area of a churchyard that houses the dead, while cemetery generally refers to a separate burial ground. It’s not a grave faux pas to use both words, but for linguistic precision, you should stick with the specific meaning you’re trying to convey.
In general, a graveyard will evoke images of older churchyards in the countryside with scattered tombstones that appear to be haphazardly arranged. By contrast, a cemetery is much larger and can contain graves from many different faiths.
The word graveyard derives from the Old English grave “grave” + yard “to lay, dig, or bury.” The root of the word also yields the noun crypt, which is similar to a tomb but carved into stone. Similarly, the verb graven means to carve or engrave. The noun crypt is often reserved for the most important members of society, such as politicians or military leaders.