Exploring History in Graveyards

Digital History TOPIC ID 28

Gravestones were one of colonial America 's earliest indigenous art forms. They also offer valuable clues to changes in cultural values over time. The terminology that we use to describe burial places, the appearance and location of graveyards, and the iconography of gravestones has changed radically over time. In this inquiry activity, you will interpret gravestone symbols and perform "cemetery mathematics," examining changes in life expectancy.