ABSTRACT
Use of gravestones for assessing weathering rates in different environments has a long history (Giekie, 1880). Although some studies have focused on the visual decay of the lettering to provide an indication of weathering loss (Rahn, 1969; Meierding, 1981), a number have concentrated on measuring loss relative to an assumed reference plane. Kupper (1975), for example, measured surface retreat relative to resistant fossils in marble. Dragovich (1986); Neill (1989); Cooke et al. (1995) and Inkpen and Jackson (2000) all measure loss relative to the surface of lead lettering, the lead lettering index (Cooke et al., 1995). This lettering is assumed to be polished flush to the surface and has been a common method of commemoration on Carrara marble gravestones. These latter studies have used the data from gravestone weathering rates to identify and quantify differences in surface loss between different historic pollution environments. The studies have tended, however, to use a mean loss value to represent the
Land Reconstruction and Management Vol 3, 2004, pp 203-216 ISBN 1-57808-295-1 Science Publishers, Inc., Enfield, USA
surface loss from a single gravestone. Little attempt has been made to assess the variability of loss data from the surface of gravestones. Likewise, the representative nature of the mean as an indicator of surface loss has rarely been considered.
