Show me the manner in which a nation or community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender mercies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land, and their loyalty to high ideals.

- William Gladstone

Cemeteries ... graveyards ... burial grounds ...

Death is the last mystery in life. For centuries, humankind found unique ways to create monuments to those who have gone before us. Death was a daily part of life, not something to be shunned and avoided.

Death was not only not proud, but it was also not macabre.

In the 19th century, death began to be institutionalized and industrialized, yet it still maintained a personal touch. The memorials made to the deceased came in many forms and styles. To this day there is a wide range of styles in which remembrances are made.

These pages encompass my personal photographic journey through the still resting places found in places I have lived or visited. Look beyond the end of life and see the beauty that lays beneath.

Along with these photos of memorials, I've included the uniquely Victorian manner of remembering loved ones -- through postmortem photography. In the days of high mortality, these were often the only images families had of the lost.