In today’s episode of The Cemetery Detective, Keith explores the cemeteries around Sewanee, Tennessee searching for Sandstone Grave Markers.
Geology and Cemetery Research
In my mind, cemetery research and geology go hand-in-hand. Understanding geology helps me understand the types of and the uses of certain gravestone materials.
Sewanee, Tennessee lies high atop the Cumberland Plateau. The Cumberland Plateau is geologically significant. With a natural sandstone cap, sandstone is locally abundant. Because of this availability, grave monument artists have used local sandstone for generations.
Not all sandstone is the same. Area sandstone comes in several varieties. The various strata include:
Rockland Conglomerate
Vandever Formation
2 Forms of Coal
Newton Sandstone
Whitwell Shale
Richland Coal
Sewanee Sandstone
Each layer has different properties based on color and granulation. Therefore some sandstone is better suited for building material and some stone is more conducive to use in gravestones.
Liesegang Rings on Sandstone Grave Markers
An aesthetic component of many sandstone is the formation of Liesegang Rings. Monument experts simply refer to these rings as “Swirls.” Liesegang Rings are formed when and Iron-rich fluid percolates through the stone after it has hardened. The more intricate the swirl pattern the more aesthetically appealing the stone.
Limestone Gravestones
Below Sewanee’s sandstone cap lies a vast layer of limestone. Since most river water is slightly (weakly) acidic, limestone dissolves into the water. This action, over millions of years, forms caves and valleys.
Buggy Top Cave is an ideal example of a limestone cave which has been dissolved by penetrating groundwater. The limestone in the area also lends to its use as a gravestone in local cemeteries. I will be exploring more about Limestone Gravestones in the Tennessee Valley in an upcoming Cemetery Research Documentary.
Cemeteries Visited
In today’s video, I explored many cemeteries in and around Sewanee.
They include:
Martin Cemetery
Unknown Cemetery
Monteagle Cemetery
Eastern Star Cemetery
University Cemetery
O’Dear Cemetery
St. Mary’s Convent Cemetery
Wise Cemetery
Sherwood Cemetery
To understand the natural occurrence of sandstone in Sewanee, I visited: Sewanee Natural Arch
Buggy Top Trail
Buggy Top Cave
I learned a tremendous amount about sandstone from experts who patiently shared their knowledge with me.
Some of the knowledge I gleaned from experts include information on Liesegang Rings, sources of sandstone, and the physical work in forming of a gravestone.
Support my Cemetery Research
If you enjoy my cemetery research, please support my efforts:
https://www.TheCemeteryDetective.com/support