05/06/2026
Did you know . . . Headstones, which are often known as tombstones, gravestones or grave markers, are memorial stones set at the head of a grave of a loved one. The design of these memorials has evolved drastically throughout the history of mankind, in both design and material. Originally, a headstone was simply the stone lid of a stone coffin, while a gravestone was the stone slab that was laid over the actual grave. Now, all three terms are also used for any type of marker placed at the head of a grave while the actual casket is interred deep in the earth. It's interesting to note that it was common to use a headstone and a smaller stone, known as a foot stone, a short distance away. Foot stones were usually made of the same material as the headstone but were much headstones smaller. The foot stone's purpose was to mark the end of the grave. While most families usually inscribed just the initials of the deceased on these foot stones, some did add additional information about the dearly departed, which many not have been able to of been accommodated on the headstone. Now in days, its more common for only headstones to be used to mark the grave.
