• Abrasive

  Product that does the cutting in the sandblast process (the sand)

• Apex

  The highest point of a monument where the four sides are tapered together

• Band

  Any continuous strip or section on a monument which can be raised, flat, recessed or carved

• Base

  The lower part or parts of a multi-sectioned monument

• Bas-Relief

  Any sculpturing that projects minimally from the background

• Bed

  The flat, top portion of any monument base which is cut to fit the bottom (joint) for the die, or main part of the monument

• Bevel or Hickey Marker

  A rectangular, angled or sloped-top marker

• Blued

  A term that describes the deepened color given to a monument by an abrasive used in sandblasting

• Bottom Jointed

  The bottom of the die, or main part of the monument, leveled and squared for final mounting on the base

• Bruise

  Any marring of the surface of a stone caused by a blow; also called a stun

• Buffing

  Applying the final touch to the stone’s polished surface

• Cap

  Any roof like outcropping, usually supported by columns

• Capital

  The top part of any pilaster or column

• Carving

  The process of shaping stone to the desired effect; includes sandblast, sculptural shape, line and hand carving

• Chamfer

  A beveled of tapered edge made by cutting away of square edge on a monument

• Check

  A cut or recess in the stone, normally on the top or ends; a rabbet-shaped cutting

• Chipped

  Small chips mar the edge of the stone

• Columbarium

  A vault with niches for urns containing ashes of the dead

• Columnar

  An orderly arrangement of single of double columns on a monument

• Column

  Any pillar consisting of a base, cylindrical or squared shaft and a capital or crown.

• Concave

  A curve matching the inner surface of a sphere

• Convex

  The opposite of Concave, any cut matching the outer surface of a sphere

• Coping

  Any low stone arrangement outlining the limits of a burial lot, also called a curbing

• Cubical Content

  Total number of cubic feet and inches in a piece of stone, cut or uncut

• Curbing

  The placing of a stone curb or low enclosure around a cemetery burial lot

• Design

  A sketch or picture of an artist’s concept of a specially designed monument

• Die

  The primary body portion of any monument, large or small; also called “Tablet”

• Dowel

  A pin designed to hold two joints of stone together

• Drainage Holes

  Openings drilled in any section of a monument of vase where it is necessary to carry off water

• Drop

  The amount of space between the highest and lowest of the bevel or other parts of a monument

• Epitaph

  Any inscription or text on a monument in memory of the person or persons interred there

• Epoxy

  A thermosetting resin used as a strong adhesive to permanently attach two items together

• Etching

  The drawing of scenes or portraits on memorials with a laser or diamond etcher

• Face

  The front of any monument of the forward portion of a slant-face marker

• Flat Carving

  Any line carving on the surface of stone; also called “skin carving”

• Frost

  To remove the polish and leave a matte finish; also called “dust” or “skin:

• Full Size Detail

  A full size sketch of a monument of part of a monument, showing it exactly as it is to appear when finished

• Gable Top

  The roof-like top of any monument that is some times referred to as a “two-way top” or a “rooftop”

• Gothic Top

  The top of a monument that rounds gracefully to a peak on the exact center line

• Gold Leaf

  A thin layer of gold that is applied to the memorial usually to enhance the lettering or to accent a carving

• Grass Marker

  A small flat piece of stone set with or approximately with the level of the ground; also call a “flush marker”

• High Relief

  The opposite of Bas-Relief. In high relief, the projecting figures of carvings extend outward at least half as much as their circumference

• Joint

  Any surface where one piece of stone has been dressed and cut to fit another; usually designates the bottom of the main part of the monument

• Ledger

  A memorial stone laid prone and covering all or most of the grave

• Lithochrome

  A liquid that can be sprayed onto panels or carvings or into letters to enhance of change the natural contrast or color

• Margin

  The extremely outer portion of any stone piece, which is given a contrasting finish for effect; can be sawn, steeled, hammered, or polished

• Marker

  A headstone, that lies flat or flush in the ground

• Mausoleum

  A building in which remains are buried or entombed

• Memorial

  A structure that serves as a reminder of a specific event of person

• Nosings

  Used in two ways: on monuments, it refers to any cut or additional stone projecting out beyond the main surface line. On slant markers, it can refer to either top or front

• Obelisk

  Any tall, four sided spire that tapers to a pyramidal point

• Ogee

  A double curve in the shape of an elongated “S”

• Outline, Frosted

  Letters formed by lines sandblasted on a finished surface. The letters are frosted and outlined with a recessed line around the letter

• Oval Top

  Any monument or marker with the top arched as a segment of a circle

• Panel

  Any monument or marker with the top arched as a segment of a circle

• Pedestal

  A base for any urn, statue, etc.

• Pillar

  A column to support a structure

• Pitching (rock-pitching)

  The cutting or chipping away of rough stone to a predetermined and marked line

• Plinth

  A stone slab or block, usually square or rectangular, upon which a pedestal, column, die, or statue is placed

• Polished

  Term used to describe the high gloss finish on a monument

• Raised Band

  A running, raises strip on a monument that often contains names and dates

• Raised Letters

  A style of lettering that accomplished by removing the area around the letter and making it raised from the surface

• Relief

  The projection of carvings from the flat surface of a monument

• Rounds

  Any stone edge rounded like the outside of a circle

• Rubbing

  The process of tracing the lettering and design on the face of a monument by rubbing crayon over paper

• Sandblast

  A machine that mixes abrasive and air pressure in a controlled manner; used to carve and letter memorials

• Sculpture

  Shaping and carving stone to any predetermined form

• Serpentine

  Any surface or molding cut to resemble the S-like motion of a snake

• Setting Compound

  Used to form a seal between the die and base or other joints that must be sealed to keep water out; not an adhesive

• Shell Rock

  Rock pitching by removing large pieces of stone and leaving a shell-like appearance

• Skin Carving

  Any shallow carving on the skin or surface of a monument that is executed by removing the polish; has no depth

• Slant

  A marker with an extreme slant face with a nosing either at the top, bottom, or both

• Steeled

  The surface of any stone that is gound with steel shot, resulting in a smooth unpolished matte finish; also called “dusting”

• Stencil

  A sheet of rubber material affixed to the stone onto which the design has been transferred and then cut out to expose portions of the stone for sandblasting

• Stock

  The inventory of monuments held by a memorialist

• Taper

  The gradual decrease in thickness or width of a monument

• Turned Work

  Any circular-shaped memorial such as a vase

• V-Sunk Letters

  A style of lettering that uses a carver’s chisel to create the letter by cutting a “V” shape into the stone

• Wash Or Drop Wash

  A beveled surface making up the exposed portion of the upper edge of a monument base designed to assure water run-off

• Wings

  Stones extending outward from the main body of a monument