Study Guide Reading Gravestones

1. GETTING STARTED

What kind of Evidence are Gravestones?
Why do Scholars Value Gravestones?
Types of Analysis

2. PARTS OF THE GRAVESTONE

Elements of the Stone
Stone Shape
Elements of the Inscription
Quiz 1: Identifying Elements of the Inscription
Quiz 2: Identifying Elements of the Inscription (Difficult)
Identifying Key Symbols
Quiz 3: Identifying Symbols on the Gravestone

3. QUESTIONS TO ASK

What does it say?
Whose stone is this?
Where was it found?
What is the stone's shape?
What does the inscription tell me?
What does the iconography of the borders, lunette, and finials tell me?
Who was the carver?
What can nearby gravestones tell me?

4. RESOURCES

Gravestone Glossaries
Seriation Charts
Model Interpretation
Carvers
Gravestones in the IC Archive
More Gravestones Online
Articles and Syllabi
Biographical Information
Bibliography
Try it Yourself!