This section provides links to gravestones dated from the late 1700's to 1860 illustrating popular carved image styles. The style categories are listed in approximate chronological order. Within each style category the gravestones are listed in chronological order.

Included in the tour are some of the outstanding old gravestones on Cape Cod. Some of these are considered historical treasures based on age, condition and carved features.

This tour is an expanded version of a slide presentation which has been given many times on Cape Cod.

Sunburst gravestones became popular in the early 1800's for about 20 years. Some sunbursts have eyes peeking over the horizon. The image can be interpreted as sunset suggesting death or as sunrise suggesting the soul ascending to heaven.

In the 1780's urns began replacing skulls and heads on gravestones. This image remained popular through the 1800's. It represented a shift in emphasis away from concern about the fate of the soul of the deceased. It emphasized the mourning of those left behind.

Starting in the early 1800's the weeping willow tree was displayed alone or with the urn. The tree was the most popular gravestone image in the nineteeth century up to 1860. It clearly emphasized the mourning and sadness of those left behind. The following gravestones display only the willow tree.

The following gravestones combine the images of the urn and the willow tree. This combined image strongly emphasized the mourning and sadness of those left behind.

These are the next most common carved images after the urn and willow in the time period.

These carved images are rare in the time period.

Tall obelisk shaped monuments began to appear in the mid 1800's. They often display several names including earlier deaths.

These grave markers were produced from about 1875 to 1910. They have an attractive blue gray color. They withstand weathering very well and absolutely no lichen grows on them due to a chemical reaction with the metal. At most only a few will be found in any one cemetery. While somewhat outside the time frame of the web site, a few are included here because of their unusual character.

There are a variety of other interesting gravestones dated 1800 to 1860 but no one style is found in large numbers. A sampling is shown below. The majority of nineteenth century gravestones up to 1860 are plain displaying only the inscription often on a rectangular stone.

Please advise whether you like this new Quick Tour of gravestone styles. It is patterned after a slide presentation based on the web site. Should this feature be expanded? Please e-mail