Across southern middle Tennessee, in rural cemeteries, you can see several varieties of these triangular burial monuments.  Ranging in period of construction from 1811 to the early 1890's, these monuments are an unexplained phenomenon -- as yet, nobody is sure why these monuments were built in this way.  They are found in both family and church burial grounds.  No single church denomination binds them together -- they are found at Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Cumberland Presbyterian churches alike.  They are found in at least two old town cemeteries: one in McMinnville, TN, and the other in Shelbyville, TN.  Some of these monuments have headstones, while others are silent about the identity of the person resting below.  Some sites have only one of these triangular monuments, others have several, but no cemetery is entirely composed of triangular monuments.  Even ethnicity does not fully explain these monuments: while most names on the monuments appear to be Scottish or Irish in origin, there is one monument for a German immigrant in Goodlettesville, TN (north of Nashville), and other of the names have no particular ethnic significance.

One clue to the origin of these monuments is found in early architecture of the British Isles.  Cairns were "rounded or conical heaps of stones erected by early inhabitants of the British Isles, apparently as a sepulchral monument" (Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1913  http://work.ucsd.edu:5141/cgi-bin/http_webster?isindex=cairn&method=exact ).  The Encyclopedia Britannica adds that cairns usually "date from the Neolithic Period and the Early Bronze Age" ( "cairn" Britannica Online http://www.eb.com:180/cgi-bin/g?DocF=micro/724/24.html).

Because we are still unable to explain why these monuments exist in the southern and central part of Tennessee (as well as in a small area of northern Alabama), this site is a presentation of research and fieldwork conducted as an independent study in the religion department at the University of the South, with Dr. Gerald L. Smith as advisor.

The first section of this site to visit briefly examines the population and landscape of the area included in the study.  There is also a link to data on cemeteries across the nation.  Then proceed to the discussion of how this project got started, how it has progressed, and the methods we have used in researching.  Next, check out the typology of triangular burial monument constructions.  Finally, take a look at the photo presentation of the current condition of some of the sites.  Also, explore these links on genealogy, cemetery preservation, and more.

Future additions to this site will include maps of site distribution, more information on individual sites, and historical records.

Except as noted, all photographs are by:

Lonsdale MacFarland Green
May 1999
The University of the South

I can be reached by e-mail at greenlm0@sewanee.edu, or at the Center for Rural Life (at the University of the South) at ruralcenter@sewanee.edu.

TYPOLOGY || CONDITION OF STONES || AREA INFO || METHODS AND STAGES || LINKS