When and why did humans start using tombstones?

From the pyramids to your local cemetery, the world is filled with stone monuments to the dead. But when did this become common practice? We go to funerary archaeologist Saša Čaval to dig up the truth.

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As grave markers, tombstones offer a focus for mourning and commemoration. Typically made of stone and usually engraved with the deceased's name, date of birth and death, they also often carry inscribed tributes. They've been around a long time, across a wide variety of cultures. 'Numerous Neolithic stone statues called stelae, associated with Kurgan culture burials about 5 000 years old, were found in Ukraine and Moldova,' reveals Čaval. 'We also have Bronze Age stone and wooden markers on mounds. The Greeks buried commoners and elites in marked graves. There's the pre-Roman Vulci in Italy, followed by the abundant Roman tombstones, with statues, reliefs and inscriptions telling stories,' she adds.

Why deaths are written in stone

As Čaval explains, the first epitaphs as we now know them, especially the formula 'Here lies'', comes from the Greek tradition. Adopted by the Romans, thanks to the spread and influence of their empire, this became the standard in the West. More than just words, the aesthetics of tombstones also tell us about the beliefs of their creators. 'The specifics tell us something unique about the times in which they are made ' about communities, their identity, values and beliefs, about both life and the afterlife,' says Čaval. Most obviously, a tomb's location can reflect the deceased's personal attachment to a specific location, while craftmanship and materials can reflect social status, especially if rare. Inscriptions are indications of literacy, while decorative motifs can suggest religious affiliations. 'Even without decoration or inscription, the tombstone's shape, position within a cemetery, type of cemetery, all help build a picture of what a society values and how individuals fit into these values,' adds Čaval.

The stećci enigma

Čaval's expertise and interest in understanding the past through burial practices and their material culture, were sparked by the Western Balkans' little known stećci, gigantic stone monuments found at gravesites. Decreed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in , the stećci are medieval tombstones, preserved across the landscapes of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. 'Remarkably, these are not attributed to any ethnic or religious group and so have always been considered enigmatic. But their numbers, with over 70 000 preserved, alongside their monolithic character reflect their importance, many centuries ago,' says Čaval. Some tombstones have inscriptions written in Glagolitic and Bosnian Cyrillic scripts, both extinct today. This speaks to local ethnic and religious diversity, substantiated by prehistory decorations mingling with Roman Christian or Islamic elements. 'We're using modern digital techniques like satellite imagery to explore this phenomenon and I'm proud to help publicise them,' reflects Čaval.

Are the cracks showing in tombstones?

The simplest reason for tombstones' success is that they are fit for purpose. Suitable stone has been relatively easy to find and transport to gravesites. It can be decorated. Stone is hard-wearing, enduring extreme weather and the passage of time ' ensuring a lasting tribute. Which also explains why other grave markers, whatever they might have been, are lost to time. With the rise of humanist funerals and with cemeteries facing overcrowding, accompanied with increasing sustainability concerns ' are tombstones falling out of favour? 'There is definitely a trend for alternatives but I think there will always be a place for tombstones. Their reassuring solidity literally represents a life, keeping it present and so relevant,' concludes Čaval. Click here to find out more about Čaval's Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions-supported SOLMUS research: Unravelling the secrets of the medieval tombstones in the Western Balkans Listen to Čaval discuss the topic further in the CORDIScovery podcast.

Keywords

SOLMUS, tombstone, grave, burial, cemetery, stećci, stone, inscriptions

Mike Rowley

A Better Iowa contributor

As one ages there seems to be more time for pondering the question, what have I left this world that will still be around 100 years after I am gone? Not all of us are builders of structures that will endure the effects of time or planters of trees that will stand for a century.

Each time technology changes you have to wonder if all those home movies, recordings and stories will endure and be available to share. Who ever thought cities with two daily newspapers would now struggle to survive with even one?

Nearly every parent and grandparent at sometime thinks of, or hopes to, leave "something" to their family. For some the desire is to leave wealth or assets, for others it may be a special heirloom.

But, life is often unpredictable. There is an old saying, "That man plans and God smiles." Sometimes surviving is a financial struggle itself and leaves little left over to pass on to the next generations. Sometimes wealth is left and then quickly lost by those who received it. Heirlooms that were so treasured by one generation may have lost their place in history in only the next generation or two.

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How many of us really have any physical object from our own great-grandparents? That was only three generations back and likely less than 100 years.

Even the "costs" of dying are changing the final plans for many. It is estimated that nearly 40 percent of individuals today are choosing cremation as the final option for either themselves or their family members. Many times the decision is one influenced for financial concerns.

I recently saw a commercial that spoke of this but also mentioned the importance of a "lasting memorial." That is a gravestone or monument in a local cemetery to give to your family for many generations. Some may think it is self serving and a form of narcissism.

As an individual who has had a life-long interest in history and genealogy, I have come to realize that this is one thing that has been given to our family and is still around for, in some cases, nearly 400 years.

The gravestone and its place in a well-maintained cemetery is often the starting point to finding one's own family history. It is often a starting block to learning of the life of ancestors and often leads to the more important lessons and experiences they really wanted us to find and know. The actual body may or may not be there, but cemeteries and individual's memorial markers are often a treasure trove of information.

One needs only look in Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines at the modest stone of B. F. Allen, the original owner of what is now the governor's mansion, to start asking questions and seek further knowledge on this individual.

These areas have been considered sacred to many of those who came before us. They likely will offer a place of contemplation and perhaps reflection for those that come after us. They are in some respects among the most lasting of all Iowa's historic landmarks and hopefully will be maintained as such by those with the responsibility and ability to do so.

MIKE ROWLEY is a native Iowan who has traveled all 99 counties for decades before retiring in August . He is a regular contributor to A Better Iowa. Contact: 

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