Why did they put rocks on graves in the Old West?
The graves are covered with stones to keep varmints from digging up the bones.
What is the difference between a gravestone and a tombstone?
Originally, a tombstone was the stone lid of a stone coffin, or the coffin itself, and a gravestone was the stone slab that was laid over a grave. Now, all three terms are also used for markers placed at the head of the grave.
What does a finger pointing up on a tombstone mean?
• A sign indicating that he or she no longer dwells among the living but has risen to heaven or now resides somewhere else. • Confirmation of life after death, i.e., the deceased’s mortal remains rest below but his or her soul is now elsewhere.
Why were cowboys buried with their boots on?
So many men were being killed in these towns that local residents had little time to give them proper funerals. Hence they were, “buried with their boots on”. Towns that sported boot hill graveyards were typically those that attracted a lot of people with no family.
How do you put a picture on a tombstone?
The Best Method. The best way to put a picture on a headstone is to have the photo digitized and then used to create a ceramic photo tile, which can be attached to the monument. Ceramic photos are created by using special toner on an Italian porcelain tile, then fired in a kiln at 1600 degrees Fahrenheit.
Why do they call it Boot Hill?
Boot Hill, or Boothill, is the given name of many cemeteries, chiefly in the Western United States. During the 19th and early 20th century it was a common name for the burial grounds of gunfighters, or those who “died with their boots on” (i.e., violently).
What were gravestones made of in the 1800s?
In the late 1700 and early 1800s, monuments were made of sandstone and slate, often carved with a winged death’s head. These engravings represented the fear of death and afterlife.