Gravestones tilt. The heavy stone markers slant. Leaning is common.
Soil shifts cause the lean. Ground settles over time. This affects stability. Freeze and thaw cycles disrupt soil. The monument base loses solid support. Uneven pressure builds. Gravity pulls the top-heavy stones.
Stone types play a role. Porous materials like limestone erode faster. Dense granite resists tilt better. A monument’s weight matters too. Heavier ones resist lean longer.
Poor installation contributes. Shallow bases offer little anchoring. Lack of proper foundations is an issue. Quality craftsmanship prevents future lean.
Purposeful leaning exists. Tilted stelae mark Native American graves. Angled markers symbolize life’s transience.
Strategies stop future tilt. Realignment fixes existing lean. Deep concrete bases provide stability. Periodic maintenance realigns monuments. Precautions protect stone materials.
While leaning markers disrupt a cemetery’s uniformity, the tilt echoes mortality’s impermanence. The solemn lean whispers time’s inevitable march.