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Rocks and Coins on Gravestones
If you've ever visited a cemetery and noticed small rocks and coins on gravestones, you've probably wondered about their meaning. While each tradition has its own significance, both leaving money and small rocks on headstones have long histories dating back thousands of years. We'll look at each separately.
Finding Coins on Graves
There are two possible meanings for finding coins on headstones. The oldest purpose of leaving them dates to the ancient Greeks and their belief that the soul of a dead person needed to cross the river Styx to get to the Underworld. The only way to cross was by boat, and the ferryman had to be paid with real coins. Back then, the coins were placed over the deceased person's eyes or inside their mouth, ensuring they would make it safely to the other side.
In modern times, that tradition has transformed into leaving specific coins on military graves as a sign of respect. According to Veteran Life, pennies let the family know the grave was visited. Nickels show the person who left them went to bootcamp with the deceased. Dimes mean they served together, and quarters can signify the visitor was present when the departed person passed.
Rocks on Headstones
Leaving stones on graves usually means the deceased person was Jewish, and their family and friends have stopped by to pay their respects. Unlike coins, the size of the stone doesn't necessarily have any particular significance. In general, the meaning of rocks on headstones goes back to ancient times when people used rocks to build altars to God and represents a connection to the eternal.
In Jewish tradition, bringing flowers to a grave is inappropriate because flowers are a reminder of the cycle of life as they wither and die. Rocks, on the other hand, are symbolic of the memory of the departed lasting forever.
Now that you understand the meaning of seeing rocks and stones on headstones, will you carry some pennies or pebbles in your pocket the next time you visit a cemetery? Even if you didn't know the deceased, leaving a symbol of respect on a person's grave is always a lovely way to honor the dead.
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