Monument industry glossary

Block Gothic

A heavy, all-uppercase sans-serif lettering style commonly seen on stones cut after about 1960. Block Gothic cuts fast (uniform stroke width = simpler stencils) and stays legible at small sizes, which is why it shows up frequently on flush markers and short military markers.

Bronze plaque

A cast-bronze marker, usually mounted on a granite base or directly into the ground. Bronze plaques are common in newer "memorial parks" with flush ground markers. Inscriptions on bronze are cast into the original plate; adding text after the fact requires a new cast bronze insert or a supplemental plate, both more expensive than sandblasting granite.

Cemetery rules

The set of restrictions a cemetery applies to markers, inscriptions, plantings, and decorations. Rules vary widely — from very strict at military and historic cemeteries to permissive at small rural ones. Common restrictions cover letter height, religious symbols, color-fill paint, and bronze placement. Always check the rules before approving an inscription proof.

Cleaning

Pre-engraving cleaning of a headstone to remove moss, lichen, mineral deposits, or atmospheric soiling. Older stones often need cleaning before any new inscription so that the existing lettering is legible and the dealer can match style and depth. Cleaning is usually a $50–$150 add-on, never a separate trip.

CNC engraving

Computer-controlled cutting with a rotary or laser tool. Less common than sandblasting for in-place cemetery work because the equipment is bulkier, but used in monument shops for precise routed lettering, custom symbols, and bronze plaques. Monumize’s DXF cut files import directly into common CNC software.

Columbarium

A wall or freestanding structure of niches that hold cremation urns. Niche fronts are typically granite or bronze and accept inscriptions much like a small headstone. Inscription work on a columbarium niche is usually done in place by a dealer who specializes in close-quarters sandblasting.

Companion stone

A single headstone covering two adjacent burial plots, typically for a married couple. Companion stones often have one name and birth date already inscribed; the second date and the spouse’s death date are added later. This is the most common single use case for second-date inscription work.

DXF (cut file)

Drawing Exchange Format — the file type monument dealers feed into AutoCAD, Fusion 360, and CNC controllers. A DXF describes lines and shapes in real-world units (millimeters or inches) so the cutter knows exactly where and how deep to cut. Every Monumize job produces a DXF that opens cleanly in standard CAD software.

Emblem

A symbol added to a headstone alongside the inscription — most commonly a religious symbol (cross, Star of David, crescent), a military insignia (branch crest, unit emblem), or a fraternal-organization mark (Masonic compass, Shriners crescent). Standard emblems are inexpensive; custom designs are not.

En-dash

The slightly-wider-than-a-hyphen punctuation used to separate years in a date inscription (1942 – 2024). Monument convention is en-dash with spaces, not hyphen. Old hand-cut stones often used a hyphen because that was easier to chisel; modern sandblasted stones almost universally use the en-dash.

Engraved script

A flowing, connected lettering style used on headstones for names and short epitaphs. Script is more expensive to sandblast than block lettering because each curve requires its own stencil cut. Reserve script for personal lines (a beloved nickname, a brief epitaph) rather than dates or full inscriptions.

Epitaph

A short inscription added below the name and dates on a headstone, usually a single line that captures something about the person. Common forms include short phrases ("Loving father and grandfather"), brief scripture quotations, and lines of verse. Epitaphs are typically added at the time of the original stone installation but can be added later, often alongside a second date.

Flush marker

A headstone that lies level with the ground, typical in modern cemeteries that prioritize mowability. Flush markers are usually granite slabs or bronze plaques. Adding inscriptions to flush markers is straightforward but the dealer must work close to ground level and may need to lift the marker from its concrete border.

Footstone

A smaller marker placed at the foot of the grave, usually showing only initials or a brief identifier. Footstones are common in older cemeteries and rare in modern ones. Inscriptions on footstones follow the same rules as the main marker; the dealer typically charges less because the work is smaller.

Granite

The most common headstone material in modern American cemeteries. Granite is hard, weather-resistant, and accepts a clean sandblast. Color depends on the quarry: shades of gray (the default), black ("absolute black" from India and South Africa), red, and pink are widely available. Granite stones can typically be inscribed in place at the cemetery without removal.

In-place engraving

Sandblast engraving performed at the cemetery, with the stone left in its original location. Most second-date and short-name additions are done in place because lifting and resetting an existing stone adds $100–$400 to the job. In-place work needs dry weather and temperatures comfortably above freezing.

Marble

A softer, more weather-prone stone used for headstones in the 19th century and still chosen occasionally for aesthetic reasons. Marble takes lettering beautifully but erodes more quickly than granite — century-old marble inscriptions are often illegible. Modern dealers usually steer toward granite for new work.

Mausoleum

An above-ground burial structure, either a small private building for a single family or a larger community mausoleum with many crypts. Inscriptions on mausoleum fronts and crypt fronts are typically engraved in marble or granite using the same techniques as headstones, though the work environment is more constrained.

Memorial park

A modern cemetery layout that prioritizes flush ground markers (no upright monuments), wide mowable lawns, and uniform aesthetic. Memorial parks usually have stricter inscription rules than older cemeteries because the visual uniformity is part of the grounds’ design.

Monogram

A stylized arrangement of one or more initials, sometimes added to a headstone alongside the full name and dates. Most dealers maintain a library of common monogram styles; custom monograms are designed in CAD before being sandblasted.

Monument dealer

A business licensed to design, sell, cut, and install headstones and inscriptions. Most US states require monument dealers to register or hold a specific license, often issued through the same authority that oversees funeral providers and cemeteries. Through Monumize, monument dealers claim jobs assigned by the marketplace, download a DXF cut file, complete the engraving, and receive payment automatically.

Plot

The rectangle of cemetery ground a family has the right to use for burial. Plots are sold under a long-running "right of interment" agreement that grants the family perpetual use, though the cemetery typically retains ownership of the land. The plot agreement spells out what may be inscribed, planted, or placed on the grave.

Porcelain portrait

A photograph fired onto a small porcelain disk and mounted on a headstone, common in Italian-American, Eastern European, and Catholic memorial traditions. Adding a porcelain portrait is a separate workflow from sandblasting an inscription and is typically handled by a specialist supplier.

Religious symbols

Common emblems added to headstones to indicate the deceased’s faith. Crosses, Stars of David, and crescents account for most religious emblems on American headstones. Veteran cemeteries operate under a federal list of approved religious emblems; private cemeteries usually accept any commonly recognized symbol.

Right of interment

The legal right granted by a cemetery to bury a person in a specific plot. The right is usually perpetual but does not transfer ownership of the land itself. When you "buy a plot," you are purchasing the right of interment, not the dirt. Inscription rules flow from this agreement, not from state property law.

Roman numerals

A traditional way of expressing dates on headstones (e.g. MCMXLII for 1942). Largely out of fashion outside of historic cemeteries, but still occasionally chosen for stylistic reasons or to match an older inscription on the same stone.

Roman serif

The default lettering style for American headstones for over a century. Quiet, traditional, and legible at every size. Pairs naturally with virtually any other inscription style on the same stone, which is why most dealers default to it and most "blended" stones (with multiple inscriptions added over time) end up Roman.

Sandblast engraving

The standard method for cutting letters and symbols into granite or marble headstones. A rubber stencil is applied to the stone surface and the dealer aims a high-pressure abrasive blast at the exposed areas, removing material to create recessed lettering. Sandblasting is fast, repeatable, and works equally well in a shop or in place at the cemetery.

Second date

The death date added to a headstone after a person dies, when the stone already shows their name and birth date from a prior installation. Adding a second date is the most common reason families engage a monument dealer post-funeral. Most second dates are sandblasted in place at the cemetery, take an hour or so to cut, and cost between $150 and $450 depending on stone material and font.

Stone removal

Lifting an existing headstone from its concrete border, transporting it to the dealer’s shop for cutting, and resetting it. Required when the new inscription is too complex for in-place work, or when the cemetery does not permit on-site sandblasting. Adds materially to cost and timeline.

Upright monument

A traditional headstone that stands vertically above the ground, often with a flat back and a curved or peaked top. Upright monuments are the easiest stones to inscribe in place because the dealer can work at standing height. Most second-date jobs Monumize handles are on upright granite monuments.