Posted by ayrity on October 5, 2002, at 0:28:52
In reply to Would anyone like to tell me why...., posted by alii on October 4, 2002, at 23:58:51
Hi, Alii:
There is no religious significance to this act; it is merely a custom (a very old custom, at that). It has several meanings- as a token of respect, and as a way of showing others that the grave has been visited (a way of saying "I was there," as you described it very well). Why stones? Who knows? The best explanation is that they last longer on the tombstone than flowers and won't blow away easily. Also, perhaps in time past flowers were expensive and difficult to obtain. Some of my earliest memories are of visiting my grandparents graves with my father and placing stones on the tombstones, and my father explaining to me why we were doing this.
Hope that answers your question!
> ...stones are left on a jewish gravesite when one visits. I do this, and just did on Sunday, when I visit my father's grave marker and because he was jewish I place a few pebbles from the surrounding area on his marker to 'say I was there'.
>
> Is there a custom behind this?
>
> --Alii
poster:ayrity
thread:1011
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20021001/msgs/1012.html