Table of Contents
Which way should a headstone be facing?
But in most cemeteries, headstones face east, which puts husbands to the left of their wives. “To make matters even more confusing,” Delp adds, “many cemeteries have stones facing both ways.
Why are tombstones facing west?
Graves were laid out in this fashion because they believed the dead would rise at dawn on Judgment Day, face the sunrise, and ascend into heaven. The headstones inscription is on the side facing west, opposite the body so the visitors of the grave would not walk on the deceased, whom many thought is disrespectful.
Are tombstones placed at the head or feet?
Headstones will be placed at the head of the grave and centered. Headstones will be placed in a straight line with the headstones to the left and right of the grave. The cemetery caretaker will place 3 stakes on each grave where a headstone is to be set.
Are gravestones placed at the head or feet?
As implied by the name, a headstone is usually placed at the head of a grave to both identify and memorialize a person. This approach has roots in Christian tradition, where a marker would be set with the head of the deceased to the west while their feet pointed east.
Why are the dead buried 6 feet under?
(WYTV) – Why do we bury bodies six feet under? The six feet under rule for burial may have come from a plague in London in 1665. The Lord Mayor of London ordered all the “graves shall be at least six-foot deep.” Gravesites reaching six feet helped prevent farmers from accidentally plowing up bodies.
How are tombstones placed?
Which direction should a tombstone face?
Some old tombstones and grave markers are placed in a position where the front is facing west. However, this doesn’t mean that the body underneath is also facing the same direction as the tombstone. Even if the tombstone faces west, the deceased might be placed facing east.
Do you bury everyone to the east of a tombstone?
Tombstones do not always reflect the positioning of the body – for reasons of aesthetics and economy of space, the tombstones in one row may well be placed at the feet of the deceased, while in the next row, at their heads. Reply I work at a cemetery. We bury everyone to the east of the stone.
Do headstones have to be placed at the head of the grave?
Although headstones today are generally placed at the head of the grave because of tradition, there are no specific restrictions that require a marker to be placed specifically at the head or at the foot of a grave.
Why are tombstones arranged the way they are?
Practically, it saves space. Another reason might be the general rule that tombstones should not be designed to be larger than the other tombstones in the same section. Therefore it is suggested that the graves be placed in an orderly way so as not to bring any attention to any one grave over another. 2