No one expects their loved ones to die, but if they do, you want to say farewell in a respectful and honouring way. A person's culture also plays a huge role in such an instance. For those who bury their loved ones, you may want to have carvings, etchings or statues for the headstone. Since the death of your loved one is not something you had prepared for, you need to know various things about etchings, carvings and statues.
Carvings
A typical headstone has the name of your loved one and their birth and death date. Some people may add a verse or phrase. Carvings are a type of enhancement made to headstones as a form of rich tribute for your loved one.
A carving is mostly a symbol, but can also be words. It involves cutting the headstone to form a shape, figure, image, symbol or words. The symbols usually have meaning. You can come across a dove, boat, clasped hands, angel, animal, crest, etc. If you choose to have a carving on the headstone, inform the funeral home. Someone there will help you get the right symbol.
At times, the carving is not done on the headstone. Instead, the whole headstone is carved into the shape of an object like a book, anvil, dove, hand, crest, etc. The funeral home should show you different designs and ask you what matches your loved one's character, craft, values, etc.
Etching
You might have seen some black, glass-like headstones with perfect writings on them; this is etching. It is mostly achieved through the use of lasers.
Etching gives the headstone a unique and beautiful look. The stone can take any shape you want. You can also have both photographs and words etched on granite stone plaques. It can be pricey, but this depends on the design you want.
Statues
Statues can take the form of people, angels with wings, animals, etc., but it is best if they mean something. The funeral home should offer guidance on choosing statues.
Custom
At times, you can combine all or some of the above. The things you need to keep in mind are what you know about your loved one, your budget and the look you want for the burial place. With this in mind, you can communicate with the funeral home and see the various designs available. From there, you can get an idea and choose what you want.
For more information on services like carving, contact a funeral home.
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