The Adena Culture

This ancient mound has overlooked the surrounding valley from high top its hillside perch for more than 2,000 years. It's hard to believe that this structure was built and saw many seasons before the birth of Christ ever occurred. The people who presumably built this mound belonged to the Adena culture (for early Native Americans, we have names for their cultural patterns rather than the actual tribes/groups). They built many mounds all over Ohio, for ritualistic and burial use. We don't know what this mound was used for, but it's pretty interesting that even the earliest of settlers to the area saw the significance and sacredness of the mound. They could have leveled the mound or done any number of things to it, but they buried their dead in its midst and left it alone. 

Light and dark

The use of light, darkness, and shadows in photography is really an amazing thing. They are a bit like adjectives for pictures! Light can suggest hope, life, truth, warmth, new beginnings, and all things good. All things hidden and unknown come to mind in the shadows and dark; death, fear, and all kinds of macabre things can come to mind. It's all about perspective...

Something to ponder...

Have you ever been saddened or sobered by the sight of an unreadable tombstone that marks a (presumably) long forgotten grave?

It was a rainy, cool day when I came across these well-weathered headstones. They were both pretty much unreadable, and covered in moss, since they were in a shady part of the cemetery. I couldn't help but feel bleak upon looking at them. As I thought about it more, I realized I was sad because these people had lived, died, and been forgotten. No flowers marked their graves, and even their names no longer existed for others to read. To take away someone's name is a powerful thing, at least to me. I didn't know their history, contributions to the community, etc. It was almost as if they had never existed. 

As I look back at these pictures tonight, they no longer make me so disheartened. I've come to the conclusion that the weather-worn tombstones are a mark of something other than sadness. It is undoubted that the people who rest under the aging tombstones in cemeteries everywhere were much loved and cherished by someone. It can also be imagined that these people came to their gravesite to visit and wished they could be together again. Therein lies the answer to why I don't feel sad anymore. The unadorned, forgotten grave means that the mourned and the mourner have been reunited once again. My ideas about death lead me to believe that we have souls that reunite with people we love after we die. So, now when I see an old tombstone, I'll just remember that the only reason its so worn and seemingly abandoned is because this person and the people they love have all passed on and are together again. The fact that their grave is aged and over taken by the elements does not matter as long as the person was loved, and is spending eternity with the people who loved them. 

Anchors, ivy, and tree trunks, oh my!

I got really excited when I saw this particular monument because it is so rich with symbolism. For starters, the big anchor in the middle was a common representation of hope (usually hope in the eternal life of the soul) in the 19th century. The symbolism is derived from Hebrews 6:19-20 in The Bible, which states: "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of the Melchisedec."

The big tree trunks that make up the bulk of the monument can mean a couple of different things. Sometimes, they were simple a decorative choice when it came to a tombstone, since there was a big rustic revival going on in the decorating styles of the country at this time. Also, tree trunks can symbolize the loss of someone young. If the tree trunk is obviously a stump who has been cut down before its time, it can also indicate someone dying before their time. 

It is hard to see, but there is also ivy "growing" on the tree trunks. Ivy is hard to kill and remains green and lively even in the harshest of conditions. It has come to represent the immortal soul and undying love and dedication because of those qualities. 

The combination of all of these symbols makes me wonder who this person was, and why their monument was created in such a way...

Appeal to Heaven

Hands in cemeteries can mean many different things. For instance, the hand pointing upward suggests that the person's soul has risen to Heaven. The two hands clasped represent a marriage between the two people buried there. The sleeve on the left looks fuller and more feminine, while the hand on the right is gripping the other hand (a sign that the man in the head of household and in control; typical male dominated societal antics, even in death, sheesh!) and the sleeve is more close to the arm and masculine; that is how you can tell that the two hands are that of a husband and wife. 

Japan's Surrender

On September 2nd, 1945, Japan formally surrendered, and thus brought an end to World War II. I just wanted to observe this occasion by asking everyone reading this to remember the great sacrifice that was undertaken by the brave men and women who fought in World War II. 

Did you know that...

... scientists can actually come to conclusions about environmental pollutants, weather patterns, acid rain, etc. in an area based on the wear patterns/deterioration levels of old tombstones? It really is a fascinating science. 

I've noticed in my community, even at cemeteries that are only 15-20 minutes away from each other, some tombstones of the same age are worn differently because of the cemetery's proximity to a facility that pollutes, or because the lay of the land allows for greater weathering. There are even lesson plans out there for teachers to use to teach kids of all ages the significance of certain wear patterns and what they mean about the pollution and weather in the area. These lessons allow for educators to take their students to cemeteries so they can learn first hand. So cool, from an educators stand point. Here are some links about the science of gravestones and teaching others about the science:

http://www.livescience.com/18681-cemetery-gravestones-weathering-acid-rain.html

http://connections.smsd.org/csi/GRAVESTONEWEATHERING.pdf

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46545861/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.UEA4itZmSIA

http://www.ehow.com/info_8147762_effects-acid-precipitation-gravestones.html

I know more articles are out there, but this is a good start!