Headstones are probably the oldest of all burial traditions. For centuries, people in nearly every culture of the world have used headstones to mark the graves of loved ones. Today's headstones are typically small rectangles placed at the head of a grave, but historically headstones have come in all shapes and sizes. In some cultures, the headstones covers the entire grave, for example. Headstones typically are engraved with the name, the birth date and the death date of the person whose grave they mark, and they are made of long-lasting materials such as bronze or granite. The aim of all headstones, no matter what the size, shape or material is to memorialize those whose graves they mark for many generations to come.
Headstone Materials: Bronze and Granite
Headstones are always manufactured to withstand the elements for many years (even centuries). The two most common materials for headstones are granite and bronze. Most headstones are made of granite, which is commonly thought of as the Earth's most elegant natural stone, but bronze has become quite popular for headstones in recent years.
Granite Headstones:
Headstones have been made from granite for centuries, and granite continues to be the most popular material today for headstones. Granite has long been known as Earth's most elegant natural stone and it, accordingly, has been used to build – aside from countless numbers of headstones -- many of the world's most elegant structures. Artists and architects of most of the world's most storied cultures (the Ancient Greeks and Romans, to name just two) have used granite in their timeless creations. Besides being elegant and beautiful, granite is one of the hardest natural materials in the world. It has its origins from the very core of the Earth, having been formed millions of years ago from cooled molten lava. As it cooled the lava settled into granite "quarries" in various parts of the world, and today, workers pull large blocks of granite out of those quarries using a variety of techniques, from drilling to blasting to sawing. The blocks are then sent to factories where they are cleaned, polished and shaped for any number of purposes, including, of course, headstones.
Bronze Headstones:
While a granite headstone, remains the most popular today, bronze is becoming very popular as a material for headstones, and bronze headstones are a specialty of Memorials.com. Bronze is an incredibly sturdy metal that has been in use for everything from weapons to statues to tools since at least 2000 B.C. In the last two centuries, it has gained extensive popularity, because of its ability to withstand the elements, as a material for headstones. Bronze headstones often have a granite base, and the two materials combine to make cemetery maintenance simple. It should be noted that all of the adult headstones Memorials.com sells are available with a bronze vase - for an extra charge - if the customer desires one.
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