A headstone is a stone marker placed at the head of a grave to identify who is buried there. These carved stones typically show the person's name, birth and death dates, and often a short message or symbol that was meaningful to them. Some headstones display religious symbols like crosses or Stars of David, while others might feature images of things the person loved, like musical notes for a musician or tools for a carpenter.

Headstones serve as lasting memorials that help families remember their loved ones and mark their place in history. Walking through old cemeteries, you can read headstones from hundreds of years ago and learn about people who lived long before you were born. Some famous headstones have become historical landmarks, like those of presidents, inventors, and writers whose contributions shaped our world.

The stone used matters: granite lasts longest, which is why most modern headstones are made from it, while older headstones made of softer materials like sandstone sometimes wear down over time until the words become difficult to read. Other terms for headstones include gravestone and tombstone, though headstone specifically refers to markers placed at the head of the grave rather than over or beside it.