Edgar Lee Master Program-Cemeteries

Understanding Illinois Burial Grounds and Cemeteries Cemeteries are places with specific above ground visual and material features including graves, grave markers, landscaping, fences, and a recognizable spatial arrangement. The placement and arrangement of these items reflect specific choices and provides insight into how people structured and ordered their social and physical landscape. Because cemeteries are dynamic they also reflect changing cultural and social values. Understanding these visual characteristics and their changes through time provides a deeper meaning of what is represented in burial grounds and cemeteries. This knowledge, and respecting the laws that protect them, will ensure their preservation for the future. This program will be presented by Hal Hassen, IDNR Archaeologist, and Dawn Cobb, Physical Anthropologist, Illinois State Museum. Age: 13 years+ *Special Note: Dress appropriately for outdoor conditions and to walk over uneven terrain.