Grave Pebbles
Placing a pebble on a grave is a custom that is thousands of years old. No one really knows how or when this practice was established although there are many theories on why.
The custom of placing a pebble on a headstone is a sign of remembrance. The ritual is to leave a physical reminder to express our emotions. A solid symbol of your visit is a sign of respect or love to the deceased. It is also a silent message to other grave visitors to take comfort: they are not alone in their loss. The stone also indicates that this grave is visited, looked after, maintained.
Theories include a harkening back to times when graves were covered with piles of stones to keep the wild animals out, and thus the mourner is joining in the construction and protection of the grave. In the same manner it represents a symbolic desire to make sure the burial location remains marked. Of course, the pebble is not a permanent marker, simply symbolic.
Some people feel the that the pebbles represents God. Religion teaches that one of the names for God is "The Rock of Israel." So the pebble is a reminder of the presence of the Rock, whose love truly is stronger than death.
There are also theories that this practice is based on a superstition that the souls of the departed would rise out of their grave and haunt those left behind, but the placement of pebbles or stones on the grave was thought to prevent them from rising up. (My apologies... one persons superstition is another persons faith.)
Many people choose to place pebbles on the grave rather than flowers, as they are more permanent.
Note: some cemeteries will periodically remove pebbles from a grave.
Placing a pebble on a grave is a custom that is thousands of years old. No one really knows how or when this practice was established although there are many theories on why.
The custom of placing a pebble on a headstone is a sign of remembrance. The ritual is to leave a physical reminder to express our emotions. A solid symbol of your visit is a sign of respect or love to the deceased. It is also a silent message to other grave visitors to take comfort: they are not alone in their loss. The stone also indicates that this grave is visited, looked after, maintained.
Theories include a harkening back to times when graves were covered with piles of stones to keep the wild animals out, and thus the mourner is joining in the construction and protection of the grave. In the same manner it represents a symbolic desire to make sure the burial location remains marked. Of course, the pebble is not a permanent marker, simply symbolic.
Some people feel the that the pebbles represents God. Religion teaches that one of the names for God is "The Rock of Israel." So the pebble is a reminder of the presence of the Rock, whose love truly is stronger than death.
There are also theories that this practice is based on a superstition that the souls of the departed would rise out of their grave and haunt those left behind, but the placement of pebbles or stones on the grave was thought to prevent them from rising up. (My apologies... one persons superstition is another persons faith.)
Many people choose to place pebbles on the grave rather than flowers, as they are more permanent.
Note: some cemeteries will periodically remove pebbles from a grave.