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The Earliest Headstones
Through much of our recent existence many things have flowed in and out of fashion across all aspects of our lives and lifestyles.
One thing that has remained a long-time tradition is the way in which we use headstones and other memorials to commemorate lost loved ones.
In years gone by, the earliest headstones would have been a simple stone or wooden marker placed over the grave as a sign of respect and to identify it as a burial site.
Today, a wide range of headstones and memorials are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials and finishes, with many different decorative options on offer, such as the ability to add symbols, inscriptions, imagery, bespoke headstone etching, and other detailed custom designs.
Although the way in which we create and design memorial headstones has advanced, the purpose remains just the same as it did thousands of years ago.
We have reason to believe that gravestones, or grave markers as they were more commonly known, date back to the Neolithic (New Stone Age) and Bronze ages around 3,000 – 6,000 years ago.
These grave markers weren’t placed to commemorate each individual life as we do today.
Instead, our historical ancestors would have typically used a megalithic monument – a large prehistoric stone – to mark an entire burial chamber rather than one individual grave.
Expert theologians believe that megalithic monuments had many meanings and functions over the years, including elite burials, mass burials, meeting places, astronomical observatories, shrines, status symbols, and many other uses that we remain unaware of.
Before the Existence of Cemeteries
Before cemeteries, hunter-gatherers would bury the dead in burial plots close to where they lived, often using large holes that had been dug right next to their hut or dwelling.
These plots would be large enough for all family members to be laid to rest together.
It seems our great ancestors took comfort in knowing that everyone within each family would eventually be laid to rest together, therefore they had no need or thought for individual markers or gravestones.
As far as cemeteries go, you may be surprised to discover that they didn’t come to full prominence until the 17th – 18th centuries, although plenty of historical cemeteries and communal burials sites do exist across many countries, cultures and religions.
Emergence of Churchyard Burials and Popularity in Headstones
The relationship between churches and burials became widespread during the 17th century, and this was the catalyst for the strong growth in headstone popularity during this time.
An increasing number of tombstones and monuments crafted from slate or sandstone were erected in churchyard burial sites to commemorate lost loved ones, though early burials containing simple, slender headstones would’ve stood as a sign of wealth.
From this point onwards, unique inscriptions could be found carved into the slate.
During the 18th century, some graves were also marked with a small footstone to distinguish the foot end of the grave.
These footstones were usually made from the same material as the headstone and would sometimes develop into full kerb sets that marked the perimeter of the entire grave.
Whereas the headstones would contain lengthier inscriptions, the footstones were much smaller so would rarely be annotated with more than the deceased’s initials and year of death, and occasionally the name of a memorial mason and plot reference number.