Showing posts with label mausoleum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mausoleum. Show all posts

Friday, August 26, 2011

Mausoleums, Crypts, and Tombs (Oh My!)

Mausoleum
Mausoleums, crypt and tombs.   So what is the difference between the three? A mausoleum is an independent aboveground structure built to hold the remains of a person or persons. 
Crypt


A crypt is a burial spot, built to hold a casket in a concrete or stone chamber.






Tomb
And a tomb is a container which holds the deceased’s remains.
Each one offers us a different manner in which to bury and memorialize our dead.  Today we’ll take a look at all three options.

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
Mausoleums came about when Queen Artemisia II of Caria, in Asia Minor, had a special structure built to house the remains of her husband and brother, King Mausolus, when he died in 353 B.C.  This is where the word derived.  The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, near Bodrun, Turkey, is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Pyramid Type Mausoleum
Mausoleums were originally built to be impressive  and elaborate structures, housing the remains of the important - nobility and leaders. After the 10th century, Christians didn’t support the practice of burying the dead in such complicated structures, so mausoleums fell out of favor.  The Europeans constructed somewhat smaller mausoleums, with an interior chapel and area for visitors, making them more accessible to the gentry.  Mausoleums can be located on private grounds, in churchyards or in public cemeteries in Europe.  

Family Mausoleum
In the United States, family mausoleums became popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. New Orleans is known for their above ground burials and mausoleums.  Over 90% of all burials in that city are aboveground due to their location and the cemeteries are known as “Cities of the Dead.”

Inside a 6 Tier Mausoleum
Broken Mausoleum Window
Types of mausoleums include the vestibule, the sarcophagus, and those large, public mausoleums that are cemetery owned.  A vestibule mausoleum is a small structure, resembling a house or small ornate building with a door in the middle.  Upon entering, crypts may be stacked up to three high on each side.  Flowers and mementos may be placed inside the mausoleum.  A small window, usually crafted from stained glass, is usually located opposite the door on the back wall.

Saracophagus
Interior View
A sarcophagus mausoleum is partially above ground but has no windows or doors.  The roof is lifted off and the casket is placed inside before it is sealed.  A sarcophagus can be a single width, double width, or have room for coffins to be stacked up to eight high. The main part of the sarcophagus is above ground, but only one burial is visible above ground.  The rest are in a large concrete structure below ground.

Public Mausoleum
A cemetery owned mausoleum may have an interior area available for visiting or it may consist of crypts stacked together with only outdoor access.  Seating, lighting and a place for flowers is usually provided.




Classical Style
Modern Style
Mausoleum architecture varies from the very ornate to the simple structure.  Many times you’ll find mausoleums built in the  Classical style, Gothic, Egyptian or Modern styles.






Taj Mahal
Lincoln's Tomb
Famous mausoleums include the Taj Mahal in India, the mausoleum for the Duchess of Kent in England, Lincoln’s Tomb in Springfield, Illinois, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C.

Floor Crypt
Wall Crypts
A crypt is built to hold a casket in a concrete or stone chamber.  Many times it is placed beneath the floor, or in the wall, of a church, chapel or cathedral.  Crypts were originally located beneath churches as early as 600 A.D.  One of the most famous crypts is Old St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.    The concrete or stone chambers in a mausoleum, where the caskets are placed and sealed, are called wall crypts

Lawn Crypt
A lawn crypt, also known as an underground mausoleum, consists of pre-installed vaults that allow for single or double depth (stacked) burial in a cemetery lawn space.  A lawn crypt may be made up of several double depth vaults laid horizontally to allow for family members to be buried together.

Tomb of the Unknown
Tomb of James Whitcomb Riley
A tomb is basically a container for the deceased’s remains.  It can be any size of enclosed compartment….an urn, a burial vault, a crypt or a mausoleum, and as simple or elaborate as desired. In modern day it is usually a burial vault that is typically lined with stone or brick.  The ceiling is usually vaulted, hence the name.


Glowing Stain Glass Window
Now, with all of this in mind – Would you prefer to be interred in the ground, in a tomb or crypt? Or entombed above ground in a mausoleum?
Sunlit Mausoleum
My preference?  I’d choose entombment in a mausoleum.  There’s just something comforting about knowing I’d still be close to the elements, and the seasons, that holds an appeal for me.

What would your choice be?

~ Joy

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Are You a Tombstone Tourist?

Cemetery in snow

When someone asks what I do for fun, I reply that I’m a tombstone tourist.  It’s nice that there is a word to describe those of us who love to go to cemeteries.  Otherwise, we would have to do a lot of explaining, (which I did until I found ‘the word.’)



A winter sunset in
the cemetery
Brian Neighbors -
A Tombstone Tourist
Tombstone tourist is a term that caught on after Scott Stanton published his book by the same name in 2003.  (The book is about popular musicians and where they are buried.)  Before that, those of us who frequented cemeteries were known, singularly, as a ‘taphophile’ – someone who has “a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries”. Or in the plural form, by the term ‘taphophilia.’ 


Neglected Crypt
Military Cemetery
Of course, there are other terms that attempt to describe those of us who love visiting graveyards, searching for tombstones and admiring mausoleums.  Just a few of the more popular are ‘grave hunter,’ ‘cemetery enthusiast,’ and ‘graver.’  All sound a bit adventurous, a bit like a PBS documentary title. But I prefer being called a  ‘tombstone tourist.’  It has a more up-beat sound and it makes more sense to me, because we are tourists – on a journey, making discoveries, enjoying ourselves, and our pursuit.   I know I am not a graver - it just sounds a bit odd and morbid to me.


Sunlit Mausoleum
Frankfort, Kentucky Cemetery
When asked what a tombstone tourist is, I can talk (at length) about the cemeteries I have visited, and the ones I want to, expounding on the treasures found there – the exquisite architecture, the impressive history, the genealogical aspects, the magnificent statues, the puzzling symbols, and the fact that I get to enjoy all of this – outside – without crowds, deadlines or paying an outlandish amount for an entertaining afternoon.


Sunlight on a stone
Old Cathedral,
Vincennes, Indiana
And we have history!  Tombstone tourists have existed for thousands of years.  In China, ancestor worship – where family members visit the graves of ancestors, decorate them and ask for their guidance or favor - has been in practice since ancient times. In numerous countries, pilgrimages are still made to the burial sites of saints and other religious figures, to honor them and seek assistance.


Autumn in the cemetery
A Tombstone Tourist Day for me
The advent of the internet has changed what we do, in a way.  Now, you can ‘visit’ a cemetery on line.  While it’s not the same as strolling through a windy autumnal cemetery, searching for an ancestor’s grave, it does make sense if time or finances are holding you back from making the trip.  You can still locate an ancestor’s final resting place on the internet, complete with a photo, on sites such as findagrave.com and interment.com.  Or visit the websites of some of the most famous cemeteries in the world and see them vicariously - still an adventure.

An undisturbed path
through the snow
Summer in the cemetery
But a true tombstone tourist relishes that walk among the stones, surrounded by nature and the elements.  There’s something about following a cemetery road or graveyard path, wherever it may wander, and being surprised, and delighted, by the great discoveries you make just around the bend.  Nothing can take that thrill away.

Tombstone Tourist?  Yes, that’s me!

~ Joy

Friday, June 3, 2011

Cemeteries Worth the Visit - Glenwood Cemetery


At the beginning of month we’ll take a look at one cemetery that is especially “Worth the Visit.”  This means that it offers something exceptional for the historian, genealogist and tombstone tourist.  It could be outstanding gravestones, interesting cemetery grounds, or just an exciting place to explore!  Today we will begin this monthly series at Glenwood Cemetery, located in Shelbyville, Illinois.  The stones, the hills and valleys, and the walking bridges are superb.


Underground Mausoleum
H.J. Hamlin Mausoleum
Glenwood has some wonderful examples of statues, stones and cemetery architecture.  There are five mausoleums in Glenwood.  The five family names are Earp, Hamlin, Harnett, Haydon, and Tackett.  Other well-known family names from the area include Davis, Miller, Oliver, Smith, Weakly and Williams.



Shells surround Thornton's monument
Anthony Thornton plaque
The famous buried here include Illinois politicians Samuel Moulton and Anthony Thornton.  Josephine Garis Cochran, the inventor or the dishwasher, is also buried here.  General William Thornton who fought in the War of 1812 is buried in a family plot.  And John G. O’Brien, a man who lived in three centuries - the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth - 1793 to 1901 is at rest here.  Mr. O’Brien died at the age of 108.

There are numerous stones throughout the cemetery, which catch your eye and imagination.  Here are two that I found intriguing.  This is an open book on a tree stump with ivy vining up it.  In Victorian symbolism the book may stand for someone who was intelligent and well read.  The tree stump symbolizes a life interrupted and the ivy signifies faithful ness and undying friendship.  Tyson Mahnke, the cemetery sexton, told me that this is Phillip Nicoale's gravestone.  He was part owner in a cigar factory in the 1860’s. 

George F. Furr
Be aware that when wandering the cemetery, you may be caught off-guard by the gaze of a WWI soldier, standing at ease on a hilltop.  Carved in Italy from white cara marble, this sculpture is the exact likeness of the young soldier named George F. Furr who lies buried beneath.  On his stone is the notation: Co. 1 53rd U.S. INF 4th Div.
Map of cemetery

For the genealogist, Glenwood offers several options.  The Sexton’s office has burial records on paper and computer.  Maps are available for each section, and for the entire cemetery.  And, for those unable to make the trip, Sexton Tyson Mahnke has been known to go the extra mile to assist researchers, when possible.




Stone Walking Bridge
If you travel to Shelbyville, plan on spending at least one day at Glenwood Cemetery.  This is a cemetery where exploring stones and enjoying nature go hand-in-hand.  While you’re visiting Shelbyville, be sure to stop by the Shelby County Historical Society and the Shelby County Courthouse for more genealogical information.




If you would like more information about Glenwood Cemetery, contact Tyson Mahnke, Cemetery Sexton at (217) 774-3514 or by email at gravdigr@live.com  The cemetery is located at 308 E North 6th Street in Shelbyville, Illinois.  The office is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Glenwood also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glenwood-Cemetery/118663618164180
What a nice way to keep in touch with the cemetery and other genealogists.

 Joy