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Types of Graves

• Barrel-vaulted tomb - tomb characterized by a vaulted roof, usually constructed of brick and then plastered, and typically employing a facade variation. Construction of the vaulted ceiling of these tombs using brick required a fair level of expertise as is amply illustrated by the masonry-work of this era. Use of the vaulted ceiling was supplanted by the false lintel slab in the mid-nineteenth century.

• Box Tomb - Box tombs are built with a ceiling and walls but no floor. They appear to be a "box" on the ground, however, they are about five feet deep. They were built this way to fool grave robbers into thinking that the body was inside the box, when they were actually deep inside the ground.

• Coping grave - An above ground burial. Uncovered empty chambers framed by stone, brick and plaster. They are filled with earth and are built up to 3 feet from the ground. This allows for burial in the soil. They can entomb repeatedly in one coping.

• Ledger Stone - Large and flat stone that is placed on top of the grave site. It sits flush with the ground. They can be plain or enscribed. Some have headstones and footstones.

• Oven Vault - Wall vault commonly known as an "oven" vault because of its arched shape. St. Louis No. 1 & No. 2 are surrounded by these vaults which serve as burial sites as well as the wall to the cemeteries.

• Parapet Tomb - A single or multiple vault tomb possessing a raised parapet front concealing the roof behind.

• Pediment Tomb - A multiple vault tomb whose height is greater than its width and whose top is surmounted by an integrated frontgable end pediment of flat, triangular or segmental design.

• Pitched roof tomb - a basic tomb type in which the roof is pitched, and usually defined either by end gables or a facade variation. Facades are typically pedimented (triangular), truncated (a modified pediment in which the top is flat, and usually serves as the base of a vase, cross, or monument), or elevated with a center lunette. The pedimented version often contains acroteria on each end (a corner ornament). This style is found on multiple and society tombs.

• Platform tomb - A single or multiple vault tomb whose height is equal to or less than its width.

• Pyramid - a variation of the stepped-tomb, in which instead of a flat or pitched roof, a pyramid form was used. The Varney Tomb in St. Louis No. 1 is an example of this rare tomb type.

• Sarcophagus - A stone container for a body or “coffin.” The 5th century BC Greek historian, Herodotus, noted that early sarcophagi were carved from a special kind of rock that consumed the corpse inside. In its classical form, this tomb style resembles an actual coffin covered with a heavy stone lid, resting either on a podium or a low foundation.

• Society tomb - professional or benevolent societies were common in the early history of New Orleans and served to administer to the burial needs of the individuals who belonged to them. There are many historically important ethnic groups as well as volunteer firemen groups represented by this tomb style. A society tomb is a multi layered tomb wall that contains several burial vaults. They are like mausoleums in most ways, except that most people in a society tomb are connected in some way.

• Stepped tomb - of this tomb type, several variations exist, the simplest being a low structure with a flat top surmounting one or more stepped platforms. Modifications include the addition of an elevated pedimented or truncated facade, and the use of multiple vertical or horizontal chambers.

• Table tomb - thought to be a variant of the sarcophagus type, this tomb has a low, flat "table" top resting on supports on top of the burial receptacle, which functioned as a surface for vases and ceremonial libations commemorating the dead.

• Temple - a tomb design of a scale evocative of a small building. A temple tomb of the classical design will typically display pilasters at each corner or a columned, porticoed facade. Other designs display more elaborate use of columns, structure, and ornament.

• Wall vaults - burial compartments within perimeter of burial ground. One vault was often used for an entire family. After a respectable time, the remains of a burial were pushed to the back where construction of the vault allowed it to fall to a receptacle below; the space was then ready for another recipient. These compartments were vaulted in early construction. This later gave way to the flat marble lintel slab as seen in construction of wall vaults in Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.

• Fenced in grave - a somewhat typical sight in a New Orleans cemetery. Resembles the iron work on most French Quarter building. Some tombs or grave markers are circled in a wrought iron fence with a gate. Most are black, some are silver and some are red with rust, but they all have beautiful and intricate designs.

• Marker/Headstone - Any non-tomb mortuary structure which marks a below-grade burial, but does not contain an interment and whose form is often sculptural.
• Simple Marker: A single element marker
• Block markers: are tall, wide, and thick, and usually have rounded tops. They are about two feet high and two feet across. They are usually made of granite. They have been used in pioneer times, Victorian times, and are still used today. Block markers come in many different shapes and designs.
• Headstone/footstone: An associated pair of upright slabs, usually of different height embedded in the ground or in a separate stone base, which defines the grave and is inscribed.
• Gothic headstones: normally about two feet tall, not very thick, and made of marble. They typically have a pointed arch at the top of them, and can sometimes have two arches. They were popular from about 1850 to early 1900s.
• Ground level headstone: usually flat and less than an inch above the ground.
• Stele: A carved or inscribed stone slab or pillar used for commemorative purposes, taller and thinner than a headstone. Base not required.
• Plaque: Non-freestanding plain or ornamental tablet affixed to a wall or structure, but not a tomb/marker.
• Pulpit tombstones: also known as slant face. They are usually made of granite or marble. They were commonly used from the 1880’s to 1910, and even to 1930. Often they look like an open book or a small lectern. Sometimes they resemble a bible, and if the bible or book is opened near the beginning, the person died at an early age
• Raised top tombstone: flat to the ground if it weren’t for the raised top, as the name suggested. However, the raised top is not very raised, only coming about six inches above the ground. The top is generally flat.
• Scroll tombstone: a tombstone that looks like a scroll. The scroll can be a single scroll that sits on a block or tombstone. The scroll can also be open. The inscriptions are usually on the part of the tombstone, not the scroll.
• Tablet headstones: tall, wide and nit very thick. The can be straight or curved or have a fancy design. They are usually made of marble, most of the time have a curved top, and are common in the 1880’s-1890. They are often about 28 inches high. Sometimes more than one is put together to signal more than one person has died in one family.
• Other: Any single architectural or sculptural form.

• Compound Marker - A multiple element marker.
• Table: A horizontal tablet supported by individual uprights, often in the form of a table.
• Basal: A horizontal tablet supported by a low solid wall base. (Resembles a platform tomb but does not house a burial within the structure.)
• Pyramid: A freestanding architectural form with four adjacent triangular walls that meet at a common apex and rest on a quadrilateral base.
• Die: Tomb with a prominent die, or middle portion of a pedestal between a base and the surbase, also called a dado.
• Pedestal: Any combination of column, obelisk, urn, or sculpture surmounting a pedestal or pedestal-base.
• Column: A full or truncated single pillar standing alone as a monument.
• Bi-columnar headstone: which is also called a Gateway headstone, is a headstone with 2 columns that connect to make an arch. They can be anywhere from 2 feet to 20 feet tall. The columns and the arch are referred to as “The Portal to Eternity”. It is commonly used for husband and wife graves. It’s also used for Masonic graves. They usually are made of granite or marble. It is a lot like the quad-columnar headstone. The only main difference is that the quad-columnar has 4 columns instead of 2. The decorations can be very exquisite to pretty plain.
• Cross vault: obelisk has a square base with tapers going upward. The top of the tombs looks like the top of a church or a house. The lines on the top look as if they would be touching. This is from the Victorian era and was common in the 1800’s. They are usually found on people of high social status. They stand out and are easily noticed.
• Other: Any architectural or sculptural combination.

• Obelisk: A monumental, four-sided stone shaft, usually monolithic and tapering to a pyramidal tip.