Tombstone tourist (otherwise known as a "cemetery enthusiast", "cemetery tourist", "grave hunter", "graver", or "taphophile") describes an individual who has a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries, epitaphs, gravestone rubbing, photography, art, and history of (famous) deaths.[1][page needed] The term has been most notably used by author and biographer Scott Stanton as the title of his former website and book The Tombstone Tourist: Musicians (2003), about the lives and gravesites of famous musicians.[2][page needed]
Some cemetery tourists are particularly interested in the historical aspects of cemeteries or the historical relevance of their inhabitants. La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague or Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) in Vienna, Austria carry a large array of famous inhabitants and their tombs, that make the cemeteries significant tourist destinations. The historic cemeteries of New Orleans are tourist destinations because of their relevance to the cultural history of the city.
Genealogy tourists make considerable effort to search out cemeteries and their records, to verify grave records and ancestral burial locations.
For centuries, people have made pilgrimages to the burial sites of religious icons and leaders. In fact, such was common during medieval times when people went to gravesites or to shrines to venerate saints.[3] In China, the ancient tradition of ancestor worship[4] also involved a veneration of dead relatives with visitations to shrines and gravesites.
During the 19th century, garden cemeteries[5] began to appear that encouraged visitors to stay and visit in the cemetery. Famous among these is the Père Lachaise cemetery[6] in Paris, France, which continues to invite tourists to visit and see elaborate memorials not only to the world famous, but to lesser known individuals as well.
Cemetery records have also been a way of verifying genealogical data. Making gravestone rubbings was in practice for centuries as a way of providing this documentation and appreciating the carvings on the tombstones. Among genealogists, scouring cemeteries looking for the graves of dead ancestors is a common and longstanding practice with individuals often relying on limited and outdated information to find burial sites.[7]
Todayedit
The hunting of graves has become digital as many cemetery transcribers and ancestor hunters have begun using GPS equipment to locate the area where a graveyard or gravesite is reputed to be.[8]
Christensen, George A. (19 February 2008). "Here Lies the Supreme Court: Revisited". Journal of Supreme Court History. University of Alabama. 33 (1): 17–41. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5818.2008.00177.x. S2CID 145227968.
December 15, 2023
tombstone, tourist, otherwise, known, cemetery, enthusiast, cemetery, tourist, grave, hunter, graver, taphophile, describes, individual, passion, enjoyment, cemeteries, epitaphs, gravestone, rubbing, photography, history, famous, deaths, page, needed, term, be. Tombstone tourist otherwise known as a cemetery enthusiast cemetery tourist grave hunter graver or taphophile describes an individual who has a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries epitaphs gravestone rubbing photography art and history of famous deaths 1 page needed The term has been most notably used by author and biographer Scott Stanton as the title of his former website and book The Tombstone Tourist Musicians 2003 about the lives and gravesites of famous musicians 2 page needed A group of tourists visiting the Dunkelgrafen Some cemetery tourists are particularly interested in the historical aspects of cemeteries or the historical relevance of their inhabitants La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague or Zentralfriedhof Central Cemetery in Vienna Austria carry a large array of famous inhabitants and their tombs that make the cemeteries significant tourist destinations The historic cemeteries of New Orleans are tourist destinations because of their relevance to the cultural history of the city Genealogy tourists make considerable effort to search out cemeteries and their records to verify grave records and ancestral burial locations Contents 1 History 2 Today 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingHistory editFor centuries people have made pilgrimages to the burial sites of religious icons and leaders In fact such was common during medieval times when people went to gravesites or to shrines to venerate saints 3 In China the ancient tradition of ancestor worship 4 also involved a veneration of dead relatives with visitations to shrines and gravesites During the 19th century garden cemeteries 5 began to appear that encouraged visitors to stay and visit in the cemetery Famous among these is the Pere Lachaise cemetery 6 in Paris France which continues to invite tourists to visit and see elaborate memorials not only to the world famous but to lesser known individuals as well Cemetery records have also been a way of verifying genealogical data Making gravestone rubbings was in practice for centuries as a way of providing this documentation and appreciating the carvings on the tombstones Among genealogists scouring cemeteries looking for the graves of dead ancestors is a common and longstanding practice with individuals often relying on limited and outdated information to find burial sites 7 Today editThe hunting of graves has become digital as many cemetery transcribers and ancestor hunters have begun using GPS equipment to locate the area where a graveyard or gravesite is reputed to be 8 See also edit nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Cemeteries Canadian Headstones List of cemeteries in Louisiana Find a Grave Interment net National Cemetery Administration s Nationwide Gravesite Locator Random Acts of Genealogical KindnessReferences edit Rogak Lisa 2004 Stones and Bones of New England A guide to unusual historic and otherwise notable cemeteries Globe Pequat ISBN 0 7627 3000 5 Stanton Scott Stanton Robin W 2003 The Tombstone Tourist Musicians ISBN 9780965996693 Simkin John Pilgrimage Spartacus Educational Retrieved 4 October 2014 Ancestor Worship Themystica com Retrieved 4 October 2014 London s Victorian Garden Cemeteries Timetravel britain com Retrieved 4 October 2014 Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise Visite virtuelle Cemetery s virtual tour Jim Morrison Edith Piaf Pere lachaise com Archived from the original on 30 December 2014 Retrieved 4 October 2014 City of the Silent Tombstone Rubbings Alsirat com Retrieved 4 October 2014 Guerrero Russell Plotting a Grave Project Trinity University Archived from the original on 18 September 2016 Retrieved 24 July 2016 Further reading editCarmack Sharon DeBartolo 2002 Your Guide to Cemetery Research Betterway Books ISBN 978 1558705890 Christensen George A 1983 Here Lies the Supreme Court Gravesites of the Justices Yearbook Supreme Court Historical Society Archived from the original on 3 September 2005 Christensen George A 19 February 2008 Here Lies the Supreme Court Revisited Journal of Supreme Court History University of Alabama 33 1 17 41 doi 10 1111 j 1540 5818 2008 00177 x S2CID 145227968 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tombstone tourist amp oldid 1169217203, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
