Plymouth Antiquarian Society Tour Features Rare Portrait Stones

The Plymouth Antiquarian Society invites the public to a themed tour of Burial Hill on Saturday, May 28th to examine a little-known style of grave marker known as portrait stones. Visitors from all over the world make their way up Burial Hill’s steep granite staircase to hunt for the gravestones of Pilgrim families or simply to admire the graven images produced by colonial stone carvers. Few are aware of the Hill’s collection of rare early American masterpieces -- the unusual 18^th and early 19^th century grave markers known as “portrait stones.” This particular genre of gravestone carving began to be produced by New England artisans in the late 1730s. The new stones featured striking portrait-like images quite unlike traditional New England funerary art. These rare grave markers feature carved images of graciously attired people not unlike painted portraiture, right down to tiny details of dress, hairstyle, and posture. Learn about this special genre of gravestone art on a one-hour walking tour with Dr. Donna Curtin.

Meet at the Burial Hill Entrance by First Parish Church at 1 p.m. Tours are free and open to the public. No reservations required. For more information, call 508-746-0012, email pasm@verizon.net or visit www.plymouthantiquariansociety.org.