Monument Ohio Pennsylvania Memorial Headstone Glossary

Glossary of Granite Headstone Monument Terms.

For Monuments in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Some of the terminology used when referring to grave stones is universal across the USA, while other terms are more regional. Where applicable, this glossary will explain terms as they are most common to headstones in Columbiana, Mahoning, and Trumbull Counties of Ohio and Lawrence, Mercer, Beaver, Butler, and Allegheny Counties of Pennsylvania.

Apex Contour Top:

All four sides at the top of the headstone are angled equally to form a pointed peak. The Washington Monument has an Apex top. The Apex top is one of nine different Top Contour designs seen on granite monuments in Columbiana County Ohio and Lawrence County Pennsylvania.

Arch:

For cemetery mausoleums monuments and headstone memorials where the design includes a prominent curved piece of stone at the top of the structure. Monuments that include an arch often have carved stone pillars for supports.

Base:

The section of your monument that is resting closest to the ground. Most granite headstone memorials placed in cemeteries today use two stones. Some monuments use a single piece of granite and have no base.

Bust:

A head and shoulders sculpted granite carving likeness of the person interred at the memorial grave site. Catholic headstones often have a bust of Jesus or Mother Mary carved into the headstone.

Casket:

The present day term for the container housing the body of the deceased. Caskets are made of various types of wood and steel. Caskets are most often purchased from a funeral home, however there are other retail merchants that sell caskets to the public. Custom made caskets are also available for someone who wants a one-of-a-kind design, shape, or size.

Cemetery Plot:

A deeded parcel of ground sold by the cemetery to provide an area for your gravesite and headstone. People often purchase a group of plots so that all family members are buried in the same area of the cemetery. In this circumstance, a large Family Monument is often placed in the middle of the plots with each grave having its own small Hickey listing the name of the person buried there.

Coffin:

This is an old world term that has been replaced with the word "Casket".

Columbarium:

A granite structure with small spaces and shelves for placing cremation urns. Some colbumbariums are in a stand alone outdoor granite monument. Some cemeteries provide a community columbarium with dozens or hundreds of urns placed inside separate niches of a large single monument structure.

Columns:

Granite vertical pilars, often carved into the front of Mausoleums or Family Monuments

Crypt:

The resting place for the casket in a Granite Mausoleum or other above ground structure. One side of a crypt has an opening to place the casket. The opening is then sealed with a granite slab carved with the name of the interred.

Die:

The main vertical granite stone when a separate base stone is used for the monument. The die is section where the name, date of birth and date of death are carved.

Etching:

Etching involves removing the polished surface with an engraving tool to create a portrait or scene on the monument. Today modern laser etching equipment is used to get photo quality images onto the headstone. Etching is most often performed on polished black granite to provide a high level of contrast between the artwork and glossy black surface.

Family Monument:

A large granite monument used as the centerpiece on a family gravesite. Family Monuments are often used when four or more graves are together in the cemetery. Each individual grave has a small Granite Hickey Marker.

Flat Carving:

This is the most common form of carving for grave stones seen in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Most flat carvings made by O.T. Beight & Son's are created with a sandlasting technique. Some are done by hand with a pnuematic chisel.

Flush Marker:

A headstone memorial that lies flat on the ground, level with the grass, usually made of granite or bronze. Single Flush Markers are 24 inches wide. Double Flush Markers are 48 inches wide and are used for husband and wife and companion memorial grave sites.

Flat Top:

A headstone monument that has no contour shape on its top.

Frosted Panel:

The removal of some polished parts of a stone by sand-blasting usually for lettering boxes or design purposes.

Grave:

The area of ground in a cemetery plot where the vault and casket are buried.

Grave Marker:

A headstone that lies flat on the ground that is usually made of granite of bronze.

Granite:

Granite is formed when extremely hot molten rock is cooled slowly. Granites of various texture and color have been discovered on every continent.

Grass Marker:

A headstone that lies flat on the ground usually made of granite or bronze. See Flush Marker.

Headstone:

A grave marker or monument marking the gravesite memorial. This replaces and old world term no longer used - "Tombstone".

Hickey:

A small granite stone the rests on the surface of the ground, at the head of an each individual grave multiple familiy grave plot. Hickeys are used when a larger Family Stone is placed as the main focal point of the family plot.

Inscription:

The writing cut or etched into a headstone or memorial.

Interment:

Final resting for for an in ground grave memorial.

Inurnment:

The final resting place for cremated remains in an urn.

Marker:

A headstone that lies flat on the ground usually made of granite or bronze.

Mausoleum:

A building where the caskets of the family are entombed in individual crypts.

Memorial:

A granite monument or bronze plaque placed in memory of one or more individuals.

Monument:

The granite stone placed in memory of the deceased. Also referred to as a Headstone.

Niche:

A space in a columbarium or mausoleum to hold an urn.

Offset Roof Contour Top:

A sloped roof contour shape with the peak offset to the left or right of the Headstone Monument.

Oval Contour Top:

A circular curve contour shape at the top of a Headstone Monument. A variation of this contour that provides a completely different style is a 1/2 Oval Contour Top which places the highest point on the memorial on either the left or right edge.

Pillars:

Slim, vertical columns usually made of granite.

Plaque:

An bronze plate at a memorial which is embossed with names and tributes to the deceased.

Polished Granite Grave Stones:

A high gloss finish on granite monuments. Polished headtones in Ohio and Pennsylvania typically have 2, 3, or 5 polished sides. Two-sided polished memorials are often front and back of the granite. The third side is the top of the monument, and polishing the left and right sides will make the granite monument a five sided polished granite. The most popular grave stones in Columbiana County Ohio and Lawrence County Pennsylvania are polished five granite.

Polished Margin:

When the base stone used in the monument has a polished border at the top of all four sides. 2" polished margins are a popular trend for bases in Ohio and Pennsylvania. However the margin size can vary from 1 inch to 6 inches.

Ridge Contour Top:

A variance to the Apex Contour, the front and rear sides of the Ridge Contour are angled to form a wide peak that is centered at the top of the granite monument. The sides are set at an equal angle, resulting in a tapered peak.

Roof Contour Top:

A sloped roof contour shape with the peak centered at the top of the Headstone Monument.

Sarcophagus:

An above ground granite structure where the deceased permanently rests. Although beautiful, its rare to see a Sarcophagus in Ohio and Pennsylvania cemeteries. Its even more rare for a Sarcophagus to be made these days.

Sawn Edges:

Unfinished sides of flush granite markers. This is the portion of the stone that is underground and never seen.

Sculpture:

Sculpture carving is the most dramatic and artistic of carving types. Some work is still done with a hammer and chisel but pnuematic chisels and sanders are the primary tools used for sculpting granite memorials today.

Serpentine Top:

A contoured shape on the top side of the headstone. Popular designs include Full Serpentines, 3/4 Serps, and 1/2 Serps.

Shaft:

A single vertical column of granite stone resting on a separate base stone. A statue or other granite carving made from a separate piece of stone sits on the top a shaft.

Shaped Carving:

A deeper and more dimensional carving on the face of the memorial stone. This technique is an upgrade from flat carvings as it requires multiple stages of sandblasting and hand carving.

Slab:

A flat granite stone with polished sides that is placed under a bronze plaque. The bronze covers the entire top of the stone. Alternatively the stone is cut larger to allow a polished granite border to be exposed under the bronze plaque.

Slants:

A granite headstone that has a slanted face. The memorial lettering is carved into the slant. Slant Monuments with a granite base stone are common and remain very popular in Oho and Pennsylvania cemeteries.

Statue:

The likeness of a person, animal, or other symbols that is carved from granite and rests at the top of the monument as its main focal point.

Steeled:

A technique that creates a smooth finish on the granite but it more corse than polished finishes. This is the dominant style used on granite monuments in Vermont but is rare in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Top Contour:

In most Ohio and Pennsylvania cemeteries you will find nine different design contours on the top of the headstones. Their names are Serpentine, 1/2 Serpentine, 3/4 Serpentine, Oval, 1/2 Oval, Apex, Roof, Offset Roof, and Ridge. Each of these nine top contours are described in more detail in this glossary.

Urn:

A vessel or container that serves as a permanent resting place for ones cremated remains.

Vault:

Often referred to as a "burial vault", its a concrete enclosure made to house the casket. Most all cemetery grave sites in northest Ohio and western Pennsylvania have a concrete vault placed into the ground before the casket is set inside. A concrete lid is then added to seal the casket inside the vault.