This historiography considers gravestones from the start of the early modern period (1560) to the 20th century (see Section 2.2, Section 2.3 and Section 2.4 for earlier periods). ‘Gravestone’ and ‘graveyard’ serve as umbrella terms. Historic graveyards have been defined as places set aside for the disposal of human remains, which may or may not be associated with commemoration, and date from the later medieval period to sites in current use (Buckham 2006, 31). Gravestones are monuments or structures located within a graveyard that mark, or comprise, the place of disposal of human remains and/or commemorate the dead. The vast majority of gravestones are carved stones, although other materials can be used in their construction and design, and in some cases gravestones may be composed entirely of other materials (for example iron, terracotta, wood etc.). Internationally, gravestone studies are an established research area (see Tarlow 1999, 14–18; Mytum 2004), however this historiography will focus on research employing Scottish material or investigating aspects of Scottish culture.
2.6.1 The material and accessibility of existing information
2.6.2 Recording graveyards: the work of antiquarians, local societies and individuals
2.6.3 Recording and researching graveyards: the work of heritage bodies