Novák László Ferenc: Fejfa monográfia - Az Arany János Múzeum közleményei 16. (Nagykőrös, 2005)
III. Angol nyelvű összegezés
carvings, with floral ornaments (e.g. in the village of Irsa). Only simple board-shaped - name-platelike - wooden head posts as real epitaphs were and are set up in a lot of places (in the village of Sárszentlőrinc and in the country towns of Nagyszalonta and Mezőberény). Also wooden head posts belong to the group of grave markers in new style, which copy the form of obelisk-shaped tombstones. Here be mentioned that simple, uncarved, wooden grave posts without decoration can sporadically be seen in Carpathian-Europe, which can be archaic in their simplicity (e.g. in Szentes), but they can be manifestations of a later phenomenon (e.g. in the villages of Nagyölved and Zsobok around the town of Esztergom). Besides grave marking and grave markers, also unmarked graves must be mentioned. Only a tree was planted on the grave mound in a lot of places. There were no wooden grave posts were set up, or if there were, they funfilled their grave marking function with the tree simultaneously. Trees planted on graves can be found not only in Protestant graveyards but also in those of other denominations (Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Orthodox).477 Pine trees were planted on graves in the hills (e.g. in the villages of Abara, Alsómihályi in Zemplén county). But also acacia trees occurred in the village of Szék in the region of Mezőség. Very often fruit trees were planted (apple-, sour cherry-, walnut-, mulberry trees) (in the village of Nógrádverőce near the Danube river, in the villages of Szklabonya and Kürtösabony in Nógrád country, around the middle part of the Maros River, around the town of Nagyenyed). The use of wooden grave posts flourished for a relatively short period (in the second half of the 19th century and in the first part of the 20th century). They started disappearing from the cemeteries from the second part of the 20th century. Nowadays, only a diminished number of wooden grave posts represent the traditional wooden grave post culture in graveyards of various regions. A considerable decay of wooden grave posts ensued in the second part of the 20th century. In this period decisive social and economical changes took place throughout Carpathian-Europe, which resulted in the elimination of the peasant culture characterized by very strong national traits and in the elimination of traditional peasant-middle-class way of life. Cemeteries - especially in towns, thus also in market-towns - became dreary, indistinctive stone jungles. Wooden grave stones were replaced by grave markers made of more valuable limestone, granite and by less valuable, uncharacteristic artificial stone. The latter one is dominant. Also wooden headboards, masterpieces of folk-industrial arts appeared in cemeteries. This had nothing to do with the denomination i.e. whether the graveyard belonged to the Catholic or Protestant denomination, thus, the traditions were broken. Decorative wooden headboards prepared by wood carver industrial artists do not immortalize local characteristics, and the culture of the traditional wooden grave posts. They represent rather a general style making use of various decorative motifs like stars, orbs, tulips. These wooden grave posts have become real national symbols. They pass on the traditions, the system of decorative motifs of folk art - namely the art of wooden grave posts - and they are also sep up as historical monuments both on memorial places and on public places. 477 Not only in Carpathian Europe but also on the Balkans. In Bulgaria sour cherry trees can be found on the graves of Greek Orthodox belivers. 183
