Maybe a biased opinion

While I may not know nor understand the technological steps in making a Tombstone, I do recognize craftsmanship. With the advancement of technology and the modern computer age, one can really see the impact of technology in tombstone construction.

With the ability to create near perfection comes the ease to become more descriptive and more straight to the point. More cookie cutter if you will - leaving less to the imagination. Once works of art that told a story, modern tombstones or headstones craftsmanship has seemingly taken a back seat to perfection. More modern tombstones are very perfect. Almost to the point of being an annoyance. They bear pictures engraved into the stone, with perfect edges, graphics of trucks, animals or a statue of the deceased. All great tributes in their own right. But, one thing seems to be lacking, character. They almost seem too perfect and leave no mystery or paint no unseen picture like the monuments of our forefathers.

It's blatantly evident if you visit several cemeteries over a short period of time. The newer architectural designs stand out, for leaving nothing to the imagination; though they do tell a story, it's right there for you to read. However, it doesn't leave the viewer wanting to know more, or wondering what that person was truly about or how they passed. Usually the picture and story in modern headstones is there for you, all you ever want to know about the deceased.

On our "cemetery walks" for http://www.cemeteryblog.com  we have really taken notice of the less imaginative displays.   Several times in my excursions to cemeteries we have taken notice of the grandeur. Older tombstones paint a picture, they give you a glimpse, a short look to leave you wonder. Although, some are not spectacular works of art, they tug at your heart and mind prompting more, creating and giving you a story, wanting to know more, feel more. We have seen simple stones bearing, "Baby Deloe" nothing else,

 what could the story here entail - tell us more. The mind still wanders, it tries to create a scenario but there is no closure. A modern marvel can give you a picture, the story and the conclusion. A nice tribute but no room to wonder or expand on - closed case. I imagine that even one day folks will have an LED screen playing computer generated graphics or video of our loved ones. For some that's great, maybe that will be the headstones of the future, after all the possibilities are endless.

Not to belittle the modern tributes, they say what the deceased's mourners wish to let everyone know about the life and memory of that person.

Maybe I am biased but, old time history, craftsmanship, architecture & stories are what make cemeteries come alive for me and what keeps me wanting to discover and experience more of them.