Interpreting Graveyards & Cemeteries

Heritage interpretation & tourism of the dead!

Ghoulish as it may sound, graveyard tourism or cemetery tourism is a growing phenomenon around the world. The final resting place of the dead sounds like an unlikely tourist attraction, but destinations around the world are beginning promote memorials, cemeteries & graveyards to attract visitors wanting to trace their roots or pay homage to long-dead hero’s and villains. Most historic towns and villages have a cemetery worth exploring and many larger cities have graveyards reserved for the powerful, rich and famous (or infamous!) and a stroll around one of the big cemeteries such as Highgate in London or Pere-Lachaise Cemetery in Paris is fascinating and absorbing experience.

War and battlefield cemeteries and memorials are a big draw for visitors looking for the graves of long lost relatives. Many families can trace an ancestor who paid the ultimate sacrifice and is buried in a land far from home and the interested in battlefields from the Somme to Gettysburg, Isandlwana to Gallipoli continues to grow.

Old cemeteries contain a wealth of fascinating and often unusual tombs, grave stones and architecture which are an important link to local social history. One of the most interesting things about graveyards for visitors is the use of art and symbols on older tombs and gravestones. Usually the symbols have a cryptic or hidden meaning, by interpreting and understanding these symbols usually reveals interesting facts and stories about the person buried below!

Gravestone art and symbolism is different in different parts of the world and there are often changes in designs and types of symbols used over time. This is something that should be researched for any cemetery interested in interpreting its stories.

Some small community or village cemeteries can be very powerful even if they are lacking ornate gravestones. The Dougherty-Miller Cemetery located in Indiana, USA is a good example of this;

This cemetery from the late 1800's was for “blacks only”. There are only a few headstones showing today, like the one on the left, of a black civil war veteran who was only allowed to be buried in this sad little plot. The site was on the verge of being totally lost amongst the trees and undergrowth before the local community recognised its importance and began to clear, restore and interpret the site. This little cemetery is a powerful and important reminder of a darker past and is an important part of local history. The interpretive experience developed by the community (with a little help from HDC team!) will send chills down your back and the memory of your visit will stay with you forever.

If you would like to know more about interpreting your historic graveyard or cemetery contact HDC.

Planning for Cemetery and Gravestone Interpretive Programs or Services.

Over the years HDC has been involved with a huge number of community interpretation projects of which many have involved the development of interpretive services for their churches, cemeteries, war-graves and memorials . If you are interested in providing a heritage interpretation program in a local historic cemetery, here are some steps to consider:

Remember that this is a cemetery. Any interpretive guided programs or tours, and self-guiding interpretation must be respectful of the site you are in. Panel design should sympathetic to the surroundings and any copy or graphics should convey a sense of respect and reverence – However that doesn’t mean that they cant be fascinating and have a powerful message too!

Check into the need to acquire permission or planning consent to interpret a cemetery. Land ownership and management of some graveyards isn’t always clear cut so take time to research who’s who.

Many people will use a cemetery regularly and become quite protective of a place that has strong emotional ties, so engage and communicate with the regulars from the start.

Be mindful of how many visitors you could manage in the cemetery at any one time and the impact that new visitors may have on the landscape and on the local community.

Plan your objectives well - what do you want the interpretive programs to accomplish? Are your objectives managerial, emotional or educational?

Clearly plan what elements you want to interpret:

- Gravestone art/designs and their historic meanings.
- Gravestones as a social statement.
- Gravestone carvers & masons
- Historical figures from the communities past.
- Communities relationships to conflicts
- Social stories and conflict
- Funeral practices (above ground vaults, wooden caskets, etc.).

Once you have decided upon what elements you want to interpret, research subject well and cross reference your data to avoid costly mistakes.

For help interpreting your historic graveyard or cemetery contact HDC.

Visit our projects list!

Find out about HDC heritage interpretation services: what is heritage interpretation?; why do you need heritage interpretation?; what are the benefits of heritage interpretation?; what are interpretive planning themes & objectives?; who was Freeman Tilden?; heritage interpretation planning; heritage interpretation design; heritage interpretation panel & exhibit fabrication; heritage interpretation training; developing tourist trails; request for proposal guidance notes; exhibit request for proposal template; interpretive planning request for proposal template; panel request for proposal template
Find out about HDC tourism development: tourism strategy & policy; tourism training; developing tourism partnerships; cemetery tourism; birdwatching tourism; fishing tourism; watchable wildlife tourism
Find out about HDC tourism marketing: exhibition services; travel trade marketing; public relations and awareness; tourism brochure design; tourism research; tourism facts

Contact us to see how we can help you!

Heritage Destination Consulting Ltd.
heritage interpretation & tourism consultants
www.heritagedestination.com
www.heritagedestination.co.uk

Cemeteries and graveyards can be a powerful and important reminder of the past and an essential component of a communities local history.