Monument Terminology

Abrasive
The material used in sandblasting to do the cutting. It comes in different types, like zirconia alundum (called “stoneblast”) and calcinated bauxite (called “sinterball”).

AP, P5
All five exposed surfaces are polished.

Apex
The very top point of a monument where all the sides meet. It means “top” or “highest point.”

Band
A continuous strip or section on a monument that can be designed to be raised, flat, recessed, or intricately carved.

Base
The bottom part of a monument. Some monuments have more than one base, like a first, second, or third level.

Bas-relief
A type of sculpture where the shapes stick out from the background. The word “bas” means “low.”

Bed
The flat, upper surface of a monument base, precisely cut to support and align with the bottom joint of the die, or main section of the monument.

Bevel marker
A small, slanted gravestone with a flat top that tilts slightly. It’s also called a pillow or hickey marker. The back is usually about two inches higher than the front.

Blued
A deep color added to a monument using a sandblasting abrasive.

Bottom-jointed
The bottom of the die of the monument is levelled and squared to mount on the base.

BRP
Stands for balance rock pitched, a rustic-style finish commonly seen on the sides of a monument’s tablet and base. This texture is achieved by striking the stone with a hammer and chisel, leaving the natural surface exposed.

Bronze marker
A flat metal plaque or memorial made of bronze (a mix of copper and tin) used to remember a person or event.

Bruise
A blemish or surface damage on a stone caused by impact, commonly referred to as a stun.

Buffing
The final step that makes the stone’s surface smooth and shiny.

Canopy
A roof-like structure that sticks out and is usually held up by columns.

Cap
The top piece of a monument that sits above the tablet. Sometimes, it’s made of more than one piece.

Capital
The top part of a column or pillar. The word comes from Latin and means “head.”

Carving
The process of shaping stone into a design. This can be done in different ways, like using sandblasting, hand tools, or sculpting.

Chamfer
A slanted edge made by cutting off the square edge of a monument.

Check
A small cut or recess in the stone, usually found on the top or ends.

Chipped
Small fragments missing along the edge of the stone, resulting in minor surface damage.

Columbarium
A structure with small spaces (called niches) to hold urns that contain the ashes of people who have passed away. Plural is columbaria.

Column
A tall, upright post used in buildings, usually made of stone. It has three main parts:

• Base (bottom)
• Shaft (middle, long part)
• Capital (top)

There are three main styles of columns. They differ in shape and decoration:

1. Doric: The oldest and simplest. Thick columns with grooves (flutes), no base, and a plain top.
2. Ionic: More decorative. The top has two scroll-like shapes (called volutes). The grooves are slightly angled.
3. Corinthian: The fanciest. Slim columns with lots of grooves and a top decorated with carved leaves.

Columnar
A structured layout featuring one or more vertical columns arranged in an orderly fashion on a monument.

Concave
A shape that curves inward, like the inside of a bowl or a spoon.

Convex
A shape that curves outward, like the outside of a ball or dome. It’s the opposite of concave.

Coping
A low stone border that marks the edges of a burial plot. It’s also called curbing.

Cremation or cinerary urn
A delicate container used to hold the ashes of someone who has been cremated. The word “cinerary” comes from Latin and means “ashes” or “dust.” A place where these urns are stored is called a cinerarium.

Crypt
A space used to hold a casket, either inside a mausoleum or partly/fully underground.

Cubical content
The total amount of space a piece of stone takes up, measured in cubic feet and inches, whether it’s been shaped or not.

Curbing
Placing a low stone border around a burial plot in a cemetery.

Design
A drawing or image showing an artist’s idea for a custom-made monument.

Die
The main part of a monument, big or small. It’s also called a tablet or screen.

Double upright headstone
A vertical monument designed to honor two individuals. Its dimensions depend on the grave’s size and the cemetery’s regulations.

Dowel
A metal pin used to connect two pieces of stone. It’s usually made from strong, rust-resistant metals like stainless steel or aluminum.

Drainage holes
Holes created in any part of a monument or vase to allow water to drain away.

Drop
The vertical distance between the highest and lowest points of a bevel or other components of a monument.

End members
The horizontal moldings located at the ends of a monument.

Entablature
The upper section of a structure, including the cornice and roof, that rests atop the column capitals; derived from the Latin word for “table.”

Epitaph
A written inscription on a monument honoring the memory of the person or people buried there. Originating from the Latin term for “funeral speech,” an epitaph typically reflects something meaningful about the deceased.

Epoxy
A durable, heat-setting resin commonly used as a powerful adhesive to create a permanent bond between two surfaces.

Etching
A technique used to create portraits or scenes on memorials, often referred to as diamond, laser, or color etching when enhanced with precision tools or added hues

Face
The front surface of a monument, or the angled front section of a slant-style marker.

Flat carving
A type of line engraving done directly on the surface of stone.

Flat marker
Also called grass, flush, or lawn-level markers, these are simple granite or metal memorials installed so that only their top surface is visible above ground. They are typically flat, without any angled features, and lie level with the surrounding ground.

Frost
To eliminate the glossy surface and produce a dull, matte texture; also referred to as “dusting” or “skinning.”

Frosted outline
Refers to lettering created by sandblasting lines onto a polished surface, where the letters have a frosted appearance and are bordered by a recessed outline.

Full-size detail
A life-sized drawing of a monument or a portion of it, illustrating exactly how it will appear once completed.

Gable top
A roof-shaped upper section of a monument, often known as a “two-way top” or “rooftop design.”

Gold leaf
A delicate sheet of gold used to highlight inscriptions or embellish carvings on a memorial.

Gothic top
A monument top that curves smoothly upward to a central peak, inspired by the pointed arch design attributed to the Gothic architectural style.

Grass marker
Also called flat, flush, or lawn-level markers, these are simple granite or metal memorials installed so that only their top surface is visible at ground level. Typically rectangular and unangled, they represent the most basic style of grave marker.

Grave ledger
A large, flat stone that lies over most or all of a grave. It’s often chosen when there’s a need to include extended inscriptions or detailed genealogical information.

Grout
Waste material left over from the process of extracting rock in a quarry.

Hand etching
A finely detailed engraving created on the surface of black or very dark stone by an artist using a diamond-tipped tool similar to a Dremel. This technique allows for intricate, personalized artwork.

Head grain
Like wood, stone has a natural grain. The head grain, similar to the end grain in wood, is the preferred orientation for the finished surface.

High relief
Unlike low or bas-relief, high relief features carvings or figures that project outward by at least half of their full depth or diameter.

Invertible vase
A type of vase, typically crafted from durable metals like aluminum or bronze, with a canister installed flush with the ground. When not in use, the vase can be turned upside down and stored discreetly below the surface.

Joint
A surface where two stone pieces are precisely shaped and aligned to connect, typically referring to the base of the main section of a monument.

Keystone
A crucial wedge-shaped stone placed at the top center of an arch, locking all the other stones into position.

Laser etching
A precise engraving process carried out by a computer-controlled laser, capable of producing highly detailed designs.

Ledger
A flat memorial stone placed horizontally to cover most or all of a grave site.

Litho, lithochrome
A colored liquid applied to carvings, panels, or lettering to enhance visual contrast or highlight details, available in a range of hues and tones.

Margin
The outermost edge of a stone piece, often finished in a contrasting texture—such as sawn, steeled, hammered, or polished—for decorative effect.

Marker
A small headstone used to identify an individual’s burial site.

Mausoleum
An above-ground structure designed to house one or more burials.

Memorial
A structure created to honor and remember a person or event. While technically a monument serves this purpose, the term’ memorial’ is commonly used in everyday language to refer to such monuments.

Monolith
A single upright tablet placed directly into the ground without a base. A common example is the white marble veterans’ headstone found in national cemeteries.

Nosing
The term has two uses: in monuments, it describes any cut or added stone that extends beyond the main surface; in slant markers, it can refer to either the upper or front-facing section.

Obelisk
Derived from Greek, an obelisk is a tall, four-sided monument that gradually narrows and ends in a pyramid-shaped tip.

Ogee
A graceful, elongated “S”-shaped curve formed by two opposing arcs.

Oval top
A monument or marker featuring a curved top shaped like a segment of a circle.

P1
Indicates that a stone has been polished on one surface only.

P2
Indicates that a stone has been polished on two sides—typically the front and back—while the other three sides (top, left, and right) are usually left unpolished or finished as BRP (bush hammered, rock pitched, or similar).

P3
A stone that has been polished on three sides—typically the front, back, and top—while the left and right sides are usually left with a BRP (bush hammered, rock-pitched) finish.

P5, AP
All five exposed surfaces are polished. AP stands for all-polished.

Panel
A smooth, flat area on a monument that is distinguished by being raised, recessed, or framed, typically used to display inscriptions or names.

Pedestal
Originating from the Latin word for ‘foot,’ a pedestal is the supporting base for objects like urns, statues, or similar structures.

PFT BRP
A finish commonly used for bases and grass markers, where the top surface is polished flat, while the remaining visible sides are left with a rough, rock-pitched texture.

PFT SS
A finish typically used for grass markers, featuring a polished flat top with the remaining visible sides cut smooth using a sawn finish.

PSF
A finish applied to slant markers, where the front slanted surface is polished for a smooth, refined appearance.

Pillar
A vertical column used either to support a structure or as a standalone monument; see also “column.”

Pitching (rock pitching)
The process of chipping away rough stone along a marked line to shape it as desired.

Plinth
Derived from the Greek for ‘stone block,’ a plinth is a square or rectangular slab of stone that serves as the base for a pedestal, column, tablet, screen, or statue.

Pol or P
(Polished) describes the smooth, glossy finish applied to one or more sides of a stone. This treatment gives the stone its darkest appearance and is often labeled with a number, such as P2, P3, or P5.

Polished
A term used to describe a monument’s surface that has been finished to a smooth, glossy shine.

Raised band
A raised strip running along a monument, commonly used to display names and dates.

Raised letters
A lettering style where the background material is carved away, leaving the letters elevated above the surface.

Relief
The raised design of carvings—such as figures, floral patterns, or symbols—that extend outward from the flat surface of a monument.

Rough stock
Unprocessed stone in its original state as extracted from the quarry.

Rounds
Any stone edge shaped with a curve resembling the outer arc of a circle.

Rubbing
A technique for capturing the inscriptions and designs on a monument’s surface by rubbing over paper placed on it.

Sandblast
A device that combines abrasive material with pressurized air in a controlled way, commonly used for engraving and inscribing memorials.

Sarcophagus
A large, carved stone coffin or a substantial memorial structure designed to hold a casket.

Screen carving
An old technique involving the use of a screen to sandblast evenly spaced, deep indentations into a surface; also known as lace carving.

Screen panel carving
Creating a distinct panel by contrasting it with a screened background.

Scroll
A decorative element resembling a rolled-up scroll, also used to describe the inscription plate on a bronze memorial marker.

Sculpture
Derived from the Latin term “to carve,” it refers to the process of shaping stone into a specific, intended form.

Seam
A faint, nearly invisible crack found on the surface of a stone.

Serpentine
A surface or molding shaped to mimic the flowing, S-shaped curves of a serpent.

Setting compound
A material used to seal the connection between the tablet and base, or other joints in a monument, to prevent water from entering.

Setting cushions
Plastic spacers placed between joints during installation.

Shape carving
A sandblasting method used to create three-dimensional effects on otherwise flat designs. It’s commonly applied to enhance the realism of elements like flowers and leaves.

Shell rock
A stone-finishing technique where large fragments are chipped away to create a shell-like texture, requiring a skilled stone cutter who understands the stone’s natural grain.

Shoulder
A raised section that extends above the surface, similar in function to a check or rabbet.

Single upright headstone
A vertical grave marker dedicated to one individual. Its dimensions are based on the grave’s size and the regulations of the cemetery.

Skin carving
A shallow engraving technique on a monument’s surface, created by removing the polished layer to produce low-relief designs.

Slant marker
A type of marker featuring a sharply angled front face, often with a ledge or “nosing” at the top, bottom, or both. While the front is steeply slanted, the back remains vertical, and the top is significantly thinner than the base. This style is categorized into two main types: the traditional style, which includes a front nosing, and the western (or full-face) style, which does not.

Steeled
A stone surface treatment where steel shot is used to blast the surface, producing a smooth, matte, and unpolished finish; also known as “dusting.”

Stencil
A rubber sheet applied to stone, onto which a design is transferred and then cut out to reveal specific areas for sandblasting.

Taper
A gradual reduction in the thickness or width of a monument or marker, typically narrowing toward the top, though it can also taper in the opposite direction.

Turned vase
A stone turned vase, also known as a round vase, is crafted using a lathe to achieve its smooth, circular shape.

Turned work
Any memorial element shaped into a circular form, such as a column, sphere, or vase.

Upright monument
An upright monument generally consists of two main parts: the vertical section, known as the die or tablet, and the lower section, called the base. Optional flower vases are often added to one or both ends.

V-sunk letters
A sandblasting technique where letters are carved deeply into the surface, creating a “V”-shaped groove at the base of each character.

Vault
An underground chamber used for burial purposes.

Vertical type
A general term for any tall, upright monument, as opposed to shorter, horizontal styles.

Wash or drop-wash
A sloped or angled surface along the top edge of a monument base, designed to help water drain off effectively.

Wing monument
A monument consisting of two individual tablets, usually designed to be symmetrical or mirror each other, mounted on a single shared base.

Wings
Stone elements that project outward from the central part of a monument.