Since then, Jews have venerated the practice of placing tombstones over graves (known as matzevot in Hebrew). The stone serves as a reminder that the living remember the dead. The stones on the stone, like the stone itself, are indicators that this is a religious family visiting their loved one's grave. In Judaism, there is no such thing as a plain old gravestone; every single one has some sort of inscription on it. Some are more ornate than others, but all serve the same purpose: to mark a grave and pay tribute to the person buried therein. Nowadays, many Jewish families prefer to place small stones on top of the grave as a sign of remembrance. The practice originated with the ancient Jews who lived in Palestine and made use of local materials available there. They would place the smaller stones on the surface of the grave as markers of remembrance. As time passed, these stones became embedded into the soil of the grave as symbols of death defying the power of time. Over the years, these stones served as landmarks for future visitors at the site of the grave. Today, Jews around the world do the same - place small stones on top of the grave as a symbol of remembrance. In modern times, when money is limited, people often place little pebbles instead. The idea comes from the ancient tradition where individuals would place small rocks on the grave as markers of remembrance. These days, people tend to put little stones on the grave instead.