My husband and I took a 9-day Iowa History Tour one year. One thing we studied about was cemeteries and the history you could find there. You will find skulls and crossbones on many of the older graves of European immigrants. Especially in the Czech cemeteries that we visited where they used iron headstones. I can't remember exactly why, but I think the instructor said it was just a symbol for death (sort of an ashes to ashes sort of thing).

I spent many wonderful Sunday afternoons with my grandparents visiting the cemetery. My sister and I would play while they would look up old friends. Cemeteries were never the gruesome scary things that they are to some people. I have such fond memories of being there, peaceful. Now that I have learned more about the symbolism, etc, they are also interesting historical sites to visit.

KickyC