ABSTRACT
Historic urban cemeteries have been studied by architectural and social historians, but have attracted less archaeological attention. An archaeological perspective considers all monuments and burials, not just the most elaborate. This paper identifies three distinct traditions of cemetery landscapes and monuments: Mediterranean, British and North American, and North and East European. Cultural attitudes to the body and commemoration affected the sometimes competing priorities of cemetery management regimes and grieving families. The decisions on monument choice had effects on the landscape and on subsequent monument choices. Particular attention is given to Père Lachaise in Paris, Rookwood in Sydney, and North Front in Gibraltar to examine the forces for change over space and time in different cemetery traditions. Variability due to ethnicity and religion is also noted.
