The word graveyard is often associated with Halloween decorations. But there is more to it than just tombstones and ghosts.
For many years, people were buried on the grounds of churches in graveyards. As populations increased, the capacity of church graveyards was exceeded.
As a result, independent sites that are not attached to a church began to appear and were called cemeteries. The term cemetery is newer than graveyard, which dates back to the 1600s.
Origins
The word ‘graveyard’ has been used by many cultures as the final resting place for those who have passed away. Historically this would have been the section of land adjacent to a church where only those who were wealthier than average or of significant importance were interred in their own crypts. Other congregants would have been buried in a graveyard and the tombstones bearing their name, date of death and other details may still remain there.
The term ‘cemetery’ is more recent and was probably introduced to distinguish it from a graveyard when the latter began to be considered out of date, although some people use the two terms interchangeably. The key difference between them is that a graveyard is on the grounds of a religious house of worship and a cemetery does not have to be located on church property. Cemeteries are also generally larger and more organised. This is partly because the burial process has evolved so that most people are now cremated rather than buried in a grave.
Functions
The function of a cemetery is multifarious, ranging from disposing of bodies to commemoration and social gatherings. Sociologically, people stratify in death as they do in life, exhibiting different social statuses by the size of grave markers and the types of memorials that are constructed.
A churchyard is a consecrated graveyard attached to a church building. Graveyards that are not churchyards may be referred to as unconsecrated graveyards or burial grounds. Other similar terms include necropolis, koimeterion, and columbarium.
Players who die in the Graveyard are remembered by the game, and their roles are displayed in the Graveyard for other players to see. The players’ Last Will and Death Note are also displayed. This is why the Graveyard is an important place to lynch evildoers. In addition, the Graveyard is a good place to find corpses to improve a player’s grave decoration skills.
Design
There are millions of people who need to work night shifts, known as graveyard shifts. They are usually factory employees or law enforcement officers, but there are many other types of workers that must work the graveyard shift. Working the graveyard shift has some downsides, but it also has some awesome benefits.
There have been several innovative projects to repurpose cemeteries. Some examples include using them as green spaces, turning them into tourist attractions, and transforming them into parks. The survey results show that people are generally open to these kinds of ideas. However, they require better communication and transparency from the government.
Besides preventing pollution, the use of alternative burial methods will help reduce the burden on limited land resources. For example, urn burial and tree burial are a more sustainable way to bury bodies. These practices can also save money and time for family members who have to travel long distances to visit the graveyards.
Maintenance
The maintenance of a graveyard can be difficult. Even in a cemetery with dedicated staff, it can be challenging to maintain the appearance of the grave sites and keep the grounds weed free and tree pruned. It is important that a graveyard be regularly inspected to ensure that headstones are in good condition, that the flowers are fresh and tended, that the grass is cut appropriately, and that weeds are not allowed to grow too tall.
In addition, if the graveyard is in a community with high rates of crime, it can be more challenging to make sure that the cemetery is adequately patrolled at night. Furthermore, the maintenance staff may not be able to attend each and every grave site on a regular basis. They are likely to prioritize the care of the grounds, roads and cemetery buildings over individual graves. Over pruning or improper mowing techniques can also damage the integrity of the headstones and tombs.