The stones that mark grave sites reveal more than just the dates of the birth and death of the deceased. They provide insight into our cultural history, as well as information on family and social structures, through their written text, letter form, iconography and elaboration, Emlen explained. A ccording to Emlen, dates can reveal more than life span. Gravestone carvings also portray religious and cultural shifts. In the early 1700s, many stones were decorated with a dour skull - a symbol of an angry God who doomed sinners to hell.
Later stones show that image gradually softening and evolving into an angelic figure.
People were more relaxed about religious tolerance. That's reflected in the language and the iconography of the stones. Rhode Island is also home to the country's oldest operational stone engraving firm, the John Steven Stone Cutting Shop, established in 1704. Not all of its business is done in cemeteries, however. The family shop has also carved many of the plaques that mark Brown's buildings, said Emlen, who plans to talk about the stonecutters in his keynote address.