Headstone Features

Bronze and Granite Headstone and Grave Marker Products

A Guide To Your Headstone Choices

Whether your choice is slate rock, marble, granite, bronze, or environmentally friendly, each headstone has a number of appealing headstone features. There are however less appealing features as well that you may want to be aware of. Due to its abundance in Early New England, slate was the most common rocks to be used for headstones. Slate has made a bit of a comeback in certain circles today, out of a sense of traditionalism. Also, one of its most appealing headstone features is that it is not hard to engrave into. Unfortunately the other side of this coin is among the least appealing headstone features. Due to its softness and perfect cleavage, slate does not survive well against the elements, and often has a tendency to flake and crack. Early Victorians recognized this, and began the move to marble at the beginning of the 19th century.

One of the headstone features of marble is that it is a harder, more durable rock material. Also, there is a certain solemnity attached with marble. Like the great marble monuments of Greece and Rome, there is something about a marble headstone that gives passersby a bit of pause. Some who opt for this method will also shape the top of the headstone into a cross, in order to honor their loved one’s faith and it fits in perfectly. There is however less appealing headstone features to this rock as well that you will also want to be aware of. First of all, for all of its perceived strength, and despite the fact that marble is a stronger rock than slate, it is not that much more durable. Marble also is deeply vulnerable to the elements, and requires special care. Otherwise, you can easily have a marble headstone covered with mold, and the lettering can potentially become eroded, possibly to the point of illegibility.

One of the most important headstone features of granite, which became popular in the 1940s, is that it holds up well against the elements. Granite is very difficult to break. It also provides a colorful alternative to the black of slate and the white of marble, in that it can come in a variety of different hues, such as pink, grey, beige, and even a golden color. One of the less appealing headstone features for granite however is the fact that it requires large amounts of rock to make. This can put massive strain on quarries. This is a fact not lost on the ecologically conscious.

Environmentally friendly headstones, made from composite plant materials, seem to offer all of the headstone features in one. They can be as durable as any rock, and they also add a variety of new colors, not often seen in cemeteries, such as green, red, and pearl blue. Another of its appealing headstone features is the works of art that can be found in the centers. With images like stained glass windows, you can have your choice of a vine like a cross, a peaceful looking tree, or a number of different flower arrangements. You should however be aware that environmentally friendly headstones are not the cheapest ones on the market. Granite headstones are generally the least expensive, followed by bronze.

Bronze has almost limitless potential for artistic headstone features. Because of this, corporations, churches, the United States Military, and many other organizations have all used bronze heavily. After being fashioned by artisans, who shape the metal at molten hot temperatures, bronze can be made to resemble almost anything. For some who purchase bronze headstones, simplicity is still the goal. They, for example, might have the name of the deceased, along with the date of birth and date of death. Others may opt for a built in urn. Still others, who decide on a more decorative look will choose everything from a heart shaped headstone, to one with “wood grain” lining, highlighting the resemblance bronze can have to a tree, to even flowers and butterflies. For those who have lost a child, bronze especially can highlight their imagination that you may wish to honor. Perhaps they had a favorite teddy bear. It is probably far easier to engrave an image of it onto a bronze headstone than any other. Maybe you want to remind both you and them that Jesus still loves them, and will still take care of them in eternity. Bronze is your answer. For all of its good qualities though, certain forms of bronze may not be as durable as other rocks, so you may want to ask about that when you talk to your headstone dealer.