Information on Granite Monuments

About Granite

• Granite is a felsic igneous rock, meaning it contains silicate minerals enriched in lighter elements and is formed when magma or lava cools. Granite -- one of the most common igneous rocks -- is found all over the world. Depending on what minerals it contains, its natural color can vary from pink to gray, and it often has visible mineral crystals of different colors. Granite as a building material is generally excavated from quarries.
  
  

History

• Granite has been used to construct and decorate some of the most well known historical structures worldwide. For instance, Egypt has pyramids dating back to the 26th century B.C. that were made of granite. Many 11th-century A.D. Hindu temples contain granite in their construction, as well as in their life-size monuments. While grave marking is a common practice dating back to the 18th century, graves were traditionally made of rock materials indigenous to the area surrounding the cemetery. However, with the proliferation of granite excavation, using granite for a grave monument became a more modern choice.
  
  

Contemporary Uses

• The most contemporary use of granite monuments is in gravestones and historical memorials. Throughout the world, granite is used in constructing monuments commemorating historical events or deceased family members. Granite has been carved into many shapes for these purposes, depicting the faces of past presidents and obelisks, angels, books and cherubs. Many granite monuments are now polished to have a shiny, glossy surface. Granite is also commonly used for home decor in kitchen counter tops.
  
  

Granite vs. Marble

• Another commonly used material for building monuments is marble. Both granite and marble contain visible mineral crystals that help make the stone more decorative. However, marble -- due to its formation process -- is a brittle stone more prone to chipping and weathering than granite. This strength makes granite more difficult to carve. Because of granite's strength and technological developments in carving, it has become a commonly used material for building gravestones, monuments and memorials
  
  

Famous Granite Monuments

• In addition to being widely used for memorial gravestones, granite has been used to construct some of the most famous monuments across the world. For instance, The Red Pyramid of Egypt, constructed around the 26th century B.C., is named for its pink granite surfaces. Two of America's most famous monuments, Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., are both made of granite.