Several years ago, I designed a museum exhibit entitled "Hidden Messages,
Silent Prayers" that addressed the very intimate and personal episodes of
leaving memorials. I feel the placement of toys, goggles, keys, balloons,
food, bottles, jugs, jars and flowers etc. on tombstones is a very
interesting cultural phenomenon. We should expect differences in meaning
between religious and ethnic groups, between different relatives, and
genders. I should think cultural roots would play deeply into different
offerings. Those of you who saw the movie Schindler's List should recall the
line of Holocaust survivors who placed a small natural rock on Schindler's
tombstone at the end of the movie. Study of cemetery dumps should be high on
our list of scientific research.

Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.