Approved Gravestone Cleaning Methods

This class will teach you gravestone cleaning methods approved by the Association for Gravestone Studies and the Cemetery for Conservators United Standards. You will learn how to identify stones and materials that gravestones are made from. This is necessary in order to clean them properly, because not all gravestones are made of granite or marble. At the end of this class, you will be able to identify the various types of materials gravestones are made of, including limestone, marble, slate, sandstone, granite, white bronze, cast iron, and ceramic (terra cotta). This class will also cover the various forms and shapes that headstones, tombstones, and footstones have taken in different eras. Several types of gravestone cleaning solutions will be discussed. For your safety, you will learn how to calculate how much a tombstone weighs using a simple calculation and how to estimate the height of an obelisk using a simple piece of paper and your walking pace. A field session will be held to practice identifying tombstone material types and estimating obelisk heights. The class will decide upon the best date for holding the field session at the time of the classroom session. Students must provide their own transportation to the field session location. No pre-requisite. Suitable for individuals 18 years and older, especially those interested in cemetery history and cemetery conservation.