Cemetery materials:

Identification of the variety of materials that can be found in our cemeteries

Identification of the type of rock that can be found in our cemeteries

Cemetery materials: Rocks

Identification of Rocks used for Memorial Headstones

Rock fizzes with acidRock does not fizz with acid

Limestone

Grains are crystals. Tightly held together Rounded Grains

Rock is made of small gritty, grains like sand. Commonly covered in

moss. Used in early days for headstones

Sandstone

Rock embedded with larger rounded pebbles. Brittle.

Often used for fence posts and plinths for headstones

Conglomerate

Grains not arranged in layers

Grains arranged in layers

Large crystals of pale colour. Comes in a variety of

mottled colours and is highly polished in headstones.

Granite

Marble Slate

Hard white rock with some veining. Widely used stone in cemeteries due to colour.

Hard dark grey rock brittle – splits into thin

sheets. Most uncommonFor extra activities on rock identification see http://www.kidsgeo.com/geology-games/rocks-game.php

Sedimentary rock.

Mat

eria

ls Soft and crumbly.

Made of large grains.

Sandstone

Sedimentary rock

Mat

eria

ls Made from sea shells.

Can contain fossils.

Limestone

Mat

eria

lsLimestone

This limestone sarcophagus pictured above is dated to 5th century, AD. Serjilla, is located on the limestone massif in Northern Syria. The sarcophagus is made of local materials.

The beautifully decorated limestone headstone on the left was found in the Roman city of Apamea in Northern Syria. Greco – Roman Period between 330 BC and 330AD

Limestone has been used for the creation of memorials to the dead for many thousands of years as these two examples show.

Mat

eria

lsConglomerate

Rock soft and crumbly

Conglomerate is frequently used in the cemetery usually for corner posts and plinths.

Rock embedded with small pebbles.

Metamorphic rock

Mat

eria

ls Made from heated  and compressed     limestone                        .

Marble

Igneous rock

Mat

eria

ls Hard Strong.

Interlocking crystals of Quartz, Mica and Feldspar.

Granite

Granite comes in several different colours. – Grey, pink, red and black.

Mat

eria

lsGranite

Mat

eria

lsGranite Examples

RedPinkbrown

Granite can be……

Mat

eria

lsGranite

BlackGranite can be……

Mat

eria

lsGranite

GreyGranite can be……

Metamorphic rock

Mat

eria

ls Very hard and brittle.

Splits into thin sheets.

Slate

WoodSlate

Limestone/ Sandstone

Concrete with marble or granite plaques

Cemetery data gathering: At the cemetery students can identify type of stone used and record when they were first

erected

Marble

Granite

Metal

Battleship curves are a great way to graph changing popularity of stone types over time.

Records from Allanton Cemetery Dunedin. 2000

1990

1980

1970

1960

1950

1940

1930

1920

1910

1900

1890

1880

1870

Sandstone or Limestone

Concrete with Marble cartouche

Natural stone with bronze

plaque

Concrete with Granite cartouche

GraniteMarble

Your task is to choose the best rock type for a monument of your own design that will last for many, many years. Your decision will be based on appearance, hardness, ability to withstand chemical attack, and porosity or water absorbency of the material, and how

these meet your design needs.

Decide on which of the rocks you think looks nice and say why you would like to make a monument out of your choice.

Classroom Science Inquiry

Activity One

What equipment will you need?Samples of different kinds of rocks (labeled).A sample of wood can also be included10c coin (copper)Steel knifeYour own fingernails

Softer rocks are easier to carve and shape but are prone to weathering. In this experiment you will be testing a variety of rocks for their hardness.

How will you compare the rock samples.

How will you make it a fair and accurate test?

How will you record your results? (Some recording ideas are shown below)

Pairs of rocks compared

Which rock scratched or left

marks on the other

Name of rock

Can be scratched by a fingernail

Can be scratched by a copper coin

Can be scratched by a steel knife blade

Can you find an order of hardness for the samples?

Experiment 2 m

ater

ials

If you have only one or two rock samples you can find their hardness using Mohs’ Scale of Hardness. 1 on the scale is the softest stone and 10 on the scale is the hardest.

Mohs’ Scale of hardness

Level Quick Test Example

1 Scratched by afingernail

talc

2 gypsum

3 Scratched by acopper coin

calcite

4 flourite

5 Scratched by a steel knife blade

apatite

6 feldspar

7Will scratch glass

quartz

8 topaz

9 corundum

10 diamond

Use the chart to help you decide on the hardness of your rock samples.

Marble can be scratched with a knife blade and a coin but not by a fingernail.

Which is the harder of these two stones?

Limestone Granite

For more information see on Mohs Scale see http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/387714/Mohs-hardness

What equipment will you need?

Samples of different kinds of rocks (labeled).Metal fileNewsprintAccurate balanceEye protectionTimer

Softer rocks are easier to carve and shape but are prone to weathering. In this experiment you will be testing a variety of rocks for erosion?

How will you judge how much rock you have worn away?

How will you make it a fair and accurate test?

How will you record your results?

(A way of recording your data is shown below)

Name of rock Mass of rock worn away in 5 minutes

Experiment 3 m

ater

ials

What equipment will you need?Samples of different kinds of rocks (labeled).Dilute sulphuric acidBowl for used rock samplesBeakersEye protection

Which rocks are safest from chemical attack?

How will you compare the affect of acid on the rock samples.

How will you make it a fair and accurate test?

How will you make sure your tests are safely carried out?

How will you record your results?

(A way of recording your data is shown below)

Name of rock Reaction with dilute acid

Experiment 4 m

ater

ials

What equipment will you need?Samples of different kinds of rocks (labeled).Plastic BeakersPaper towelsBalance to measure mass

Which rocks absorb water and which are less porous?

Name of rock Mass before immersion

Mass after immersion for 10 minutes

Mass after immersion for 30 minutes

How will you judge how much water the rock samples have absorbed?

How will you make it a fair and accurate test?

What are the limitations of your test

How will you record your results? (A way of recording your data is shown below)

Experiment 5 m

ater

ials

Experiment 6 m

ater

ials

Experiment 6 Continued on next slide

What equipment will you need?Samples of different kinds of rocks (labeled).Plastic beaker and troughWaterMeasuring cylinderAccurate balance to measure massCalculator

Will those rocks which are more densely constructed last longer? You can calculate the density of materials by dividing its mass by its volume. mass (g) ÷ volume cm3 = density (g/cm3)

How will you measure the mass of the rock samples?

How will you measure the volume of the rock samples?

How will you make it a fair and accurate test?

What are the limitations of your test?

Generally those rocks which are more densely constructed will last longer? You can calculate the density of materials by dividing its mass by its volume. mass (g) ÷ volume cm3 = density (g/cm3)

Name of rock Recorded Mass Recorded Volume Calculated Density

Experiment 6 (Continued) m

ater

ials

How will you record your results? (One way of recording your data is shown below)

Overflow water

Measuring Cylinder

Water

Displacementtrough

Tip overflow water from beaker into measuring cylinder

Record the details of the purpose your monument and draw up your design.Combine your experimental results into one chart for example…

Provide your reasons for the choice of building material for the monument you have in mind. There may be lots of thins you need to consider.

Name of rocks

Appearance Hardness Erosion Reaction with acid

Porosity Density

Experiment 7

ResourcesBooks:

Hook, G. (1999). New Zealand Pathfinder Series – self study guides. Science Year 11 – School Certificate, New House Publishers Ltd. Auckland.

Mytum, H. (2000). Recording and Analysing Graveyards: Practical Handbook in Archaeology 15. Council for British Archaeology in Association with English Heritage.

Stannard, P., Williamson, K. and Hook, P. (1999). Science World 10 for the New Zealand Curriculum. MacMillan. Auckland.

Websites:

Geology Games For Kids, Games About Our Earthhttp://www.kidsgeo.com/geology-games/rocks-game.php

Rocks for kids.com URL: http://www.rocksforkids.com/RFK/identification.html#Hardness