TOMBSTONE WEATHERING IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

Downtown Charleston, South Carolina is located on the subtropical coastal plain in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, leading to some unique weathering conditions. The effect of these weathering conditions on tombstones was studied to determine if there are any specific environmental variables responsible for the highest weathering rates. The noninvasive methods used to study tombstone weathering in Charleston include 1) measuring changes in thickness from the base of the stone to the top; 2) measuring changes in the depth of letters; and 3) noting the grave marker’s appearance, location, and surroundings. Stone debris from the graveyard will be analyzed in the laboratory for a more comprehensive understanding of gravestone weathering in Charleston. The controls of weathering intensity on related stones within the urban setting may have implications regarding the durability and practicality of stone use in the South.

The graveyard selected for study was the Unitarian Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Upon visually inspecting the tombstones, a few general observations were made. First, over 50% of the stones in the graveyard are sandstone. The sandstone is predominantly a course-grained quartzarenite. Second, within each of these sandstone tombstones, the more weathered surface is the top half of the stone, while the bottom half is smooth and almost completely nonweathered. Finally, each of these sandstone tombstones has red staining that appears to be due to vegetation.

An investigation of 30 tombstones in the graveyard shows that there is no correlation between the age of the stone and the degree of weathering. Large-scale weathering of the stone (top to bottom thickness of the stone) does not correlate with the degree of weathering of the letters. Therefore, weathering is more likely tied to micro-environmental conditions surrounding each individual stone, including vegetation, orientation, wildlife, exposure to elements, and close encounters with yard maintenance equipment. Future investigations will shift the focus to spatially investigating each stone and drawing from the observations made during preliminary research.