A cemetery is a place where people are buried. It is usually not affiliated with a church. It is generally larger than a church graveyard, and it may contain family plots.
It is important to bring another person with you when searching cemeteries. This will offer you a little bit more safety, and they can help you record important information that you might miss.
Graves
Graves are the traditional resting place of those who have died. They are usually buried in either a casket or an urn. The graves may also contain a memorial plaque that contains the names of the deceased and their birth and death dates.
In some cases a cist or an ossuary may be used instead of a burial plot. These are small, stone-built box-like spaces for interment which were common in prehistoric and medieval times.
A family burial plot allows multiple members of a single family to be buried together in the same space. Married couples, for instance, often purchase companion plots. The graves may be double depth or side-by-side. The topography of the area is the primary factor in determining how the graves are laid out within a Burial Section.
Headstones
Sometimes, terms used in the funeral industry can be confusing – this is especially true when it comes to headstones. It is not uncommon for people to wonder, “Is it a gravestone, tombstone or headstone?”
This is a great question because each type of memorial has its own specific purpose. Headstones identify the deceased and can contain a lot of information, including names, birth and death dates, epitaphs, images of significance or plaques.
They can be slanted, upright or flat and may even have beautiful carvings. Typically, headstones are less ornate than monuments and are designed for individuals who want to memorialize their loved ones with a simple and affordable option. Headstones can also be a great way to commemorate the lives of children or pets who have passed away.
Niches
Often times, families choose to have their loved ones cremated and store the urn in a niche. These nooks can be found in mausoleums, columbaria and urn gardens.
On old gravestones, cherubs were popular in the mid-1700s. They were used to symbolize souls en route to heaven. Usually, their faces were curved into a serious expression. This was in conformity with one of the Ten Commandments, to prevent idol worshiping of graven images.
Cemeteries have long been a versatile setting for fiction, from the creepy to the romantic. They are a borderland between this life and the next, which makes them ideal for novels of all genres.
Memorials
Memorials give families and friends a place to honor their loved ones. They provide a focal point for a collection of memories, emotions and meanings that can help people work through their grief and loss. Memorials also serve as a space to share stories and commemorate the significance of a life well lived.
Traditional memorials like VF and 9/11 rely on the notion of heroes and victories, subsuming death under a higher (usually national) cause. Counter-memorials, on the other hand, focus on victims and loss, avoiding hierarchies.
Drawing on Gibson’s notion of affordance, we can compare how different material dimensions in memorial design facilitate and constrain specific kinds of engaging experiences for visitors. We do so across ten interconnected dimensions:
Rules
The cemetery is a place for burials and has many rules about what can be done there. These rules are often based on historical and cultural practices. Some of them are also aimed at keeping the place tidy and safe for visitors.
Stands and metal legs that elevate floral tributes or other items are a safety hazard to visitors and workers and are removed as soon as they are seen. Glass is a hazard to children and is also removed as soon as it is seen.
All memorial dealers, setters, cutters and gardeners must have a permit and furnish proof of insurance against damage to cemetery lots or graves. Work must be supervised by the superintendent. Any memorial or inscription which is not completed within thirty days after notification may be restored at the lot or grave owner’s expense.