Re: [Cz-L] Sataniv tombstones.

Upon clearing the decades thick over-growth at the Vashkivtsi Jewish cemetery we found many stones similarly covered with moss, a half inch thick in many cases. Because most of the markers are of sandstone, which blisters and peels any blasting would contribute to their erosion. Our approach was to gently brush each stone and subsequently prevent the vegetation from again creating a barrier to the free flow of air and light. The stones are placed in an east-west orientation, so they thus benefit from daily exposure. Although some stones have fallen, this appears in many cases to be the result of tree roots undermining their stability. The experts in cemetery restoration that I consulted cautioned that great care and expertise, as well as special equipment, is required in lifting and re-erecting the stones. While many other stones appear by their inclination to be about to fall, they are fairly firmly planted, so it will be some time before that will happen. In the meantime, the haphazardly leaning stones offer visitors to our cemetery a hauntingly beautiful impression

http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/28663229@N04/7310574360/

of the many Jewish souls buried there.

Sent by iPhone

On Feb 19, 2014, at 11:19 AM, Miriam Taylor <mirtaylo_at_indiana.edu> wrote:

The gravestones in the photograph sent to us by Christian, are not black.
they are covered by moss, which in the winter looses much of its green color.
The fact that these gravestones are so completely covered by moss,
indicates that they are mostly in the shade and that in that region the rain is acid.
If not cleaned and preserved in some fashion, the moss and the rain will destroy the stones.

Mimi

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Received on 2014-02-19 10:52:01