Gravestone Placement: Practical and Spiritual Logic
When you go to a cemetery and notice the gravestones, you may see something peculiar. The majority of gravestones are positioned at the bottom part of the grave rather than at the top part, which is where a person’s head is buried. We have done it this way for hundreds of years, but why?
Gravestone Placement: Practical and Spiritual Logic
In the eastern countries, especially the Christian West, burial has a very interesting and practical reason.
Why Burials Face to the East
It is because Jesus is supposed to come back to Earth to take people to heaven after death. When he rises from the east, they rise from the grave, too. This custom started long ago in the Medieval era. As cemetery historian Martha Johnson explains:
“People really thought they were going to physically rise from their graves on Judgment Day. The stone was put at the feet, so as they sat up, they would be able to see their marker.”
Different Customs Shape Other Cultures
For example, in a Jewish cemetery, gravestones are usually placed at the head of the grave. In some Asian countries, such as Japan, the gravestone may not be placed at the head of the grave according to local beliefs and traditions.
Practical Reasons for the Foot-End Placement
Cemetery personnel often use the headstone as a marker when they dig graves. If the stone was at the head end of the grave, they could dig into the deceased person’s remains. If the stone is placed at the feet of the grave, then they are digging at the feet end of the grave, far from the head.
According to cemetery caretaker Robert Williams:
“It’s easier for us, and it shows respect for the dead. If we ever need to dig close to someone already in the ground, having the marker at the foot provides a clear demarcation to work with.”
In a number of historical cemeteries, the graves all face east. This purposeful arrangement was due to the convention of orienting the dead toward the east, or sunrise, as a symbol of resurrection and new life. The gravestones at their feet would be oriented west, meaning visitors could read the gravestone while facing the east.
Modern Cemetery Practices
Currently, a lot of contemporary cemeteries disregard tradition entirely. Some cemeteries even permit families to select placements for markers. Others have flat markers and avoid upright stones altogether.
Despite whether the grave marker is placed at the head or foot of the deceased, all grave markers have an important role—commemorating those who have passed and respecting the deceased at their burial place.