To start my project, I decided to visit Undercliffe Cemetery. as I wanted to see some historical graves for some inspiration on exploring historical mourning culture.
I found that a lot of the graves were far more intricate, and would fall into the category of art themselves. An amazing example of this would be this one, as it is so beautifully carved, and still manages to stand out amongst the rest.
The reason for many older graves, especially those of the Victorian era, being adorned in symbols is due to the different view on death at the time. Cemeteries were a place where people were encouraged to visit, and enjoy. It seems as though the graves were a way to celebrate the lives of those lost, opposed to the more modern idea of only visiting to mourn.
Another reason for the imagery is because a large population at the beginning of the Victorian era were illiterate, so the symbols often would be a better way to commemorate the dead.
