Resources for instructional activities featured in Discovering Quacks, Utopias, and Cemeteries: Modern Lessons from Historical Themes.
Epitaph – An inscription on a tomb.
Also, a brief composition characterizing a deceased person, and expressed as if intended to be inscribed on his tombstone. Originally from Greek and Latin. First used in English around 1387. (Oxford English Dictionary Online.)
Historical Epitaphs
Below are only a few of the many websites and full-text books available on the internet for historical epitaphs.
- The Epitaph Browser (website)
- Popular “verses in memoriam” one could choose from 1906 Sears and Robuck Tombstone and Monument Catalog (p. 142)
- Popular “verses suitable for inscriptions” from 1915 Montgomery Ward Monument and Tombstone Catalog. (p. 24)
- Epitaphs for inscription from the Columbus Marble Works monument catalog (p. 65)
- Famous Literary and Historical Epitaphs(website)
- An Original Collection of Extant Epitaphs by F. Maiben, 1870 (full-text book, mostly from British graveyards)
- Gleanings in Graveyards: A Collection of Curious Epitaphs by H. Norfolk, 1866 (full-text book, mostly from British graveyards)
- Epitaphia: A Collection of 1300 British Epitaphs by E. Suffling, 1909 (full-text book, mostly from British graveyards with a short chapter on American epitaphs)
- For many more, search for “epitaphs” in Internet Archive / Archive.org
Ancient World
- Latin Funerary Inscriptions, Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum. (for women, men, children, all with translations and photographs)
- Ancient Roman Epitaphs (Latin with translations)
- Ancient Epitaphs for Dogs
Modern Favorites
Search the internet for popular modern favorites. Many of these can be located on the websites of monument dealers such as this example or sample epitaphs from this online tombstone dealer.
Books & Articles
Many books and scholarly articles provide historical epitaphs and translations.
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- Markers, the scholarly journal of the Association of Gravestone Studies, has several relevant articles. Many issues are available online here. A subject index is available here.
- JSTOR, an online database of journals, primary sources, and books has many articles items about and including historical epitaphs.Check your library for free access.
My favorite ancient epitaph from Rest Lightly, An Anthology of Latin and Greek Tomb Inscriptions by Paul Shore.
Rome, c. 3rd century C.E., dedicated to Cerelia Fortuanta, the wife of the author .
Do not pass by my epitaph, wayfarer,
But when you have stopped, hear and learn, then depart.
There is no boat to carry you to Hades, no ferryman Charon,
No judge Aeacus, not dog Cerberus.
All of us below have become bones and ashes. . . . . .
Do not favor this monument with sweet smelling oils, or garlands,
It is but a stone.
Do not feed the funeral flames, it is a waste of money. . . . .
Pouring wine on the ashes will only turn them to mud,
And the dead will not drink.
For so I shall be.
And when you have heaped up earth on these remains,
. . . what this was, it will never be again.