How The Internet Has Enriched Survivors' Ability To Respect The Dead

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The internet helps people not only in all aspects of life, but also in death. Recent technological advancements have improved upon traditional memorial methods, allowing people to pay respects in ways that were never before available. 

Headstones, Historically

History reports that the Puritans introduced the idea of grave markers on the American continent sometime during the 16th century. These grave markers foreshadowed a bleak afterlife and served as warnings for the living. They were constructed of wood or rough stones, and were not intended to survive the ages or memorialize the deceased.

Several centuries later, during the 1800s, communities began constructing peaceful, park-like graveyards. Unlike the earliest American grave markers, these headstones evolved into modes of memorializing and respecting the dead. These headstones depicted more positive messages and identified the people buried beneath them. They were also constructed of more long-lasting materials, such as granite and marble.

Memorializing the Deceased

Even though survivors began memorializing their deceased loved ones as early as the 19th century, mystery still shrouds some older headstones. This is because, despite better headstone materials and thoughtful inscriptions, weathering and wear still take tolls on the monuments. Furthermore, a headstone's inscription seldom includes details about the deceased person's legacy. Thus, a cemetery visitor may glean from a headstone the deceased person's name, birth date, and death date, but little more. 

How the Internet Helps Keep a Deceased Person's Legacy Alive

If you want to know more, try contacting a company such as Genesis Granite with your questions and concerns.


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