Time inexorably continues its run. We all once came into this world and we all will leave it someday. Nothing lasts forever and we are all mortal. Death is the inevitable end that every living being comes to in his life. And throughout life, people are always faced with the fact of human death.
It is not given to know how much is released to us or our relatives. News of someone's death can come to us suddenly. Just when we least expect it.
The bustle of mourning begins - the organization of funerals, commemorations, etc. All this, of course, takes place, but how can we express our attitude towards those who have left us, our feelings for them, our sadness? How to show that part of us left with the deceased? In addition to our thoughts, there is a method that is used very often - this is an inscription on a monument.
In this article, we will talk about their design. After all, the way tombstones and monuments look carries information both about the living person and about the attitude of people towards him. And for many, this is very important.
How did this tradition come about?
The inscription on the monument is called an epitaph andofficially considered a literary genre that appeared thanks to the poets of ancient Greece. Translated from ancient Greek means "over the grave".
In Russia, the posthumous inscription on the monument appeared only in the 17th century. Before that, only crosses and tablets with the names and years of life of the dead stood above the graves. The epitaphs that appeared carried a deep meaning. Sometimes they even contained facts from the life of the deceased person.
Over time, long thoughtful inscriptions have changed. They have become more capacious, concise. It happens that an epitaph is associated with an epigram. Writing ironic epitaphs on tombstones became popular first in Europe and later in Russia and other countries.
Although the main way to express their feelings are mournful, tragic epitaphs, there are no restrictions and rules here. There were cases when funny poems and even jokes were written on tombstones. The only unspoken rule is not to write about the dead badly, in a rude manner, etc.
It is also worth saying a few words about how the inscription is applied to the monument. There are two main ways - this is engraving and applying overhead letters. It is not worth going into the details of the process now, but it makes sense to clarify that there are several types of engraving: manual, laser, sandblasting and automated mechanical.
The main material used for the manufacture of monuments is granite (used most often), but marble, gabbro, and Indian stone are also taken. These are the most durable anddurable materials.
But in fact, it is not so much important what the tombstone will be made of over the grave of the deceased or what the inscription on the monument will be. Much more important is the attention paid to this person during his lifetime, what are the relations between him and his family. No wonder they say that people do not value what they have at the moment. Therefore, tell your loved ones more often that you love and appreciate them. After all, even the brightest and most colorful epitaph will never replace real and sincere words spoken during life.
