Saturday, December 15th at 1:00 pm
In Victorian America, formal bereavement was an accepted cultural institution. Mourning was observed through many non-spoken rituals to commemorate the dead, dictate social behavior and demonstrate the relationship to the deceased by a complicated system of rules to abide by. The use of symbolism in funerary monuments became increasingly important in how to memorialize a life that had passed, and impart information about how that life was lived; thereby creating an entire visual language around grief, mourning and bereavement. On this walking tour of the grounds, visitors will learn about Victorian mourning customs, and decipher the symbolic messages left behind by Laurel Hill’s dearly departed.
The walking tour will take place on Saturday, December 15 at 1:00 pm. Please convene at Laurel Hill Cemetery’s Gatehouse entrance at 3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19132. Free parking is located in the lot across the street from the Gatehouse.
The cost is $15/person; $13/students and seniors; or $12/members.
Tour Guide: Clarissa Shanahan