In the early 1600’s, graveyards of New England honored the traditions of Puritans with simple field stones or wooden markers. Later in the century more decorative slate and sandstone monuments featured symbolic death’s heads and skulls, with warnings such as “Memento Mori” (Remember Death), advising the living to prepare for death.
As attitudes toward the afterlife evolved in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s, skulls sprouted wings, later morphing into angelic-faced effigies, representing the soul ascending to heaven. As carving became more sophisticated and spread across New England, distinct styles appeared, partly determined by the varieties of stone available in a particular area and partly determined by local traditions of carving.
Facial representations evolved from abstract, stylized images to more personalized realistic forms. Sophisticated designs such as coats of arms were crafted by a few skilled stonemasons in the cities, though more rustic carvings still dominated in rural areas.
