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You are here: Home / Firsts / Why Do People Put Tombstones on Graves?

Why Do People Put Tombstones on Graves?

March 28, 2020 by Karen Hill

The marking of graves goes back to ancient times when primitive people put stones on top of graves.

These superstitious people believed that evil spirits lived in the bodies of dead people and that the stones would prevent these evil spirits from rising up. These stones also served to mark the grave as a warning for people to keep away from the spot where these evil spirits lived.

Each society developed its own purpose and its own style of marking graves as centuries passed and superstitions slowly passed on. The Hebrews erected stone pillars; the Greeks erected beautifully sculpted headstones with wreaths of pure gold; and the Egyptians erected towering

In India, war heroes were buried in tombs 27 feet long, for it was believed that their fame would continue to grow after death and so would their bodies!

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Filed Under: Firsts

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Who Were the First People To Use Yo Yos?
Next Post: Why Do People Say “May His Soul Rest in Peace” When They Speak of a Dead Person? »

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