A Graveyard in Asheville - 622 Words

For this journal review, I have decided to do a graveyard in Asheville which is very well known. The cemetery – Riverside Cemetery has existed since 1885 and was built by the Asheville Cemetery Company and in 1952 was sold to the City of Asheville. For this review I’ll be focusing on the various styles of graves seen throughout the cemetery, while also emphasizing the meaning of the different artistic symbols seen. I’ll also make sure to note the significant graves and mausoleums that are home to some of the most descriptive artwork. The graveyard is home to more than 14,000 graves some of which carry important meanings or information. I believe graveyards are sacred art museums and while walking through one provides a much different experience, some similarities are important for us to see. The City of Asheville’s Riverside Cemetery is located in Montford, less than 2 miles from downtown. It provides over 87 acres of grounds and is a protected tree area. Today the area operates under the City of Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department. Looking through the various headstones, I can see many similarities among the different symbols. Looking past just the symbols we can see a level of intricate artwork laid down by the art of hand carving and engraving. Hand carving and engraving headstones is an ancient practice in which artists and craftsmen have formed extraordinary memorials from pieces of raw stone. The craft of engraving headstones over time