Carved in Stone: The Artistry of Early New England Gravestones

Preface

The early New England settlers found themselves in a harsh, unfamiliar environment, looking for a new beginning. What they brought with them were their skills, ingenuity, and, more than anything else, their perseverance and their religious faith. One of their legacies, one that still resonates in our culture, is revealed on the stones in early New England graveyards. With their sometimes inscrutable images, these stones provide glimpses into how these early settlers viewed this world and the next. Sermons, journals, and other writings from this period reveal a grim vision, and the gravestones’ images reflect the same severity. From approximately 1640 to 1810, the craft of stonecarving flourished in New England, with hundreds of carvers producing thousands of works. Most of the stones still exist, their striking combination of beauty, oddity, grimness, and whimsicality available to anyone willing to search them out. Few people, though, will visit and view these underappreciated works of art, possibly because they deal so deliberately with death. My fascination with early New England gravestones paralleled that of my brother, Bill, though for many years we approached the subject independently and from different perspectives, he through writing and I through photography. Each in our own way, we had always relished our time in these quiet, peaceful places. For me, the focus on the images of stone themselves brought me close not only to the human experience and expression of those early settlers, but also to a sense of meaning and expression in my own life. Often, in the end, what I have seen and attempted to record with my camera became more than I anticipated. When Bill and I discovered our parallel interests in these graveyards, we decided to collaborate on this book. I hope this documentary work pays tribute in some small way to the artistry of the early New England stone carvers. P r e fa c e ...