Ця сторінка також доступна українською.
Introduction

Variety in stone materials and conditions in the new Jewish cemetery of Zbarazh (Ternopil oblast). Photo © RJH.
This page lists print and electronic references which provide information to support an important aspect of Jewish cemetery preservation in western Ukraine: the conservation of stone in matzevot (headstones and other grave markers) and memorial monuments. Developing the skills of stone conservation and headstone repair requires a larger proportion of hands-on learning than many of the disciplines associated with cemetery care, yet there is a wealth of accumulated knowledge on the topic in both print and digital media. The references range from general texts to focused articles on topics including material properties, inspection, recording, cleaning, repair, and long-term care. Many of the references listed here are intended for application to stone buildings and other historic structures, but most of the principles and practical information work equally well in cemeteries. These references are relevant to the guide section on stone conservation on this website.
Note that while most of the references listed here pertain to natural stone, because some 20th-century Jewish headstones in western Ukraine (erected both before and after WWII) are composed of concrete, as are the majority of grave surrounds and grave covers, ohels, and other Jewish cemetery constructions, a few references pertaining to the special issues related to concrete are included below. Because of its ubiquity in modern construction, many more references to concrete repair in all media types can be found through simple internet searches in any language.

Cast concrete grave markers, surrounds, and covers at the new Ashkenazi Jewish cemetery in Halych (Ivano-Frankivsk oblast), on a frosty morning. Photos © RJH.
Because these lists are lengthy, we have divided them into categories for simpler review; many of the references overlap two or more categories. A few of the listed references are highlighted with brief summaries in the first section below, “key references”. Other useful resources on this subject may be found in the sections on regional and international experts, and on technical tools, methods, and data. Except where noted otherwise, all references listed here are in English.
Key References
Stone Conservation: Principles and Practice; Alison Henry, ed.; Routledge; 2006.
A comprehensive introductory text on the conservation of stone buildings and monuments, with chapters contributed by leading academics and professionals. The text provides a historical overview of the practice; a review of current debates on restoration vs. conservation; an outline of the stone conservation process; methods and materials for consolidation and cleaning of stone; detailed discussion of the specific characteristics, modes of decay, and treatment of several stone types (including the two most common Jewish headstone materials in western Ukraine, limestone and sandstone); and the unique issues pertaining to monuments and grave markers.
Stone Conservation – An Overview of Current Research; Eric Doehne and Clifford A. Price; Getty Conservation Institute; 2nd ed., 2010. Free e-book available.
A broad and detailed survey of research literature pertaining to the conservation of stone monuments, sculpture, and archaeological sites, by a key international institution working on the conservation of material cultural heritage. Current practice is reviewed for topics such as stone decay, and both preventive and remedial treatments, with integrated remarks on how individual research reports and papers address specific issues. A key section surveys testing methods and results to evaluate the short- and long-term effectiveness of alternative approaches; other important chapters discuss the role of conservation policy on the choices conservators make in their work, and how research methods themselves can be improved. The book concludes with a bibliography spanning more than 50 pages, and a section highlighting core texts, resource lists, and websites of key institutions working in the field.
Printed and Electronic Books
General References
- Stone Conservation: Principles and Practice; Alison Henry, ed.; Routledge; 2006.
- Practical Building Conservation: Stone; English Heritage; Historic England; 2016.
- Stone Conservation – An Overview of Current Research; Eric Doehne and Clifford A. Price; Getty Conservation Institute; 2nd ed., 2010. Free e-book available.
- Conservation of Building and Decorative Stone; John Ashurst and Francis G. Dimes; Routledge; 1998. Free access to the 1990 edition on Issuu.
- Conservation of Ruins; John Ashurst; Routledge; 2006.
- A bibliography of Stone Conservation; ICOMOS Documentation Centre, 2009.
- A bibliography of Stone Heritage; ICOMOS Documentation Centre, 2015.
- EwaGlos – European Illustrated Glossary of Conservation Terms for Wall Paintings and Architectural Surfaces; Angela Weyer, et al., eds.; Hornemann Institute, 2nd edition, 2015. Free download available.
Cemetery Care
- Heritage Stone Conservation in Urban Churchyards: Merging Necrogeography, Historical Archaeology, and Geomorphology; Mary Thornbush and Sylvis E. Thornbush; Springerbriefs; 2018.
- Landscapes of Memories: A Guide for Conserving Historic Cemeteries: Repairing Tombstones; Tamara Anson-Cartwright; Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, Ontario, Canada; 2003.
Materials Science
- Advanced Materials for the Conservation of Stone; Majid Hosseini and Ioannis Karapanagiotis, eds.; Springer; 2019.
Weathering and Decay
- Stone Decay: Its Causes and Controls; B.J. Smith and A.V. Turkington, eds.; Routledge; 2004.
- The Weathering of Natural Building Stones; R.J. Schaffer; Routledge; 1932.
- Glossary of Historic Masonry Deterioration Problems and Preservation Treatments; Anne E. Grimmer; USGPO / National Park Service / Internet Archive; 1984.
- Illustrated glossary on stone deterioration patterns; ICOMOS-ISCS, 2008.
- Science and Art: A Future for Stone; 13th International Congress on the Deterioration and Conservation of Stone: Volume 1; John J. Hughes and Torsten Howind, eds.; University of the West of Scotland, 2016. Free download available.
- Science and Art: A Future for Stone; 13th International Congress on the Deterioration and Conservation of Stone: Volume 2; John J. Hughes and Torsten Howind, eds.; University of the West of Scotland, 2016. Free download available.
- An Investigation of Quantifying and Monitoring Stone Surface Deterioration Using Three Dimensional Laser Scanning (MS thesis); Jessica Kottke; University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, 2009.
Cleaning Natural Stone
- Comparative Study of Commercially Available Cleaners for use on (US) Federally-issued Headstones; Mary F. Striegel and Jason W. Church; NCPTT, final report 2011.
- Control of Biodeterioration of Sandstone on the Fisher Fine Arts Library (MS thesis); Jessica A. Focht; University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, 2013.
- Soluble Salts in Porous Materials: Evaluating Effectiveness of Their Removal (MS thesis); Joshua Freedland; University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, 1999.
- Lichens: The Challenge for Rock Art Conservation (PhD thesis); Debra Elaine Dandridge; Texas A&M University / Internet Archive, 2006.
Consolidants and Other Treatments
- Alkoxysilanes and the Consolidation of Stone; George Wheeler; Research in Conservation; 2006. Free e-book available.
- Epoxy Resins in Stone Conservation; Charles Selwitz; Getty Conservation Institute; 1992. Free e-book available.
- Materials for Conservation: Organic consolidants, adhesives, and coatings; Velson Horie; Routledge; 2nd edition, 2010.
- A Study of Composite Action in Materials After Treatment (MS thesis); Sarah Elizabeth Gray; University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, 2000.
- Composite Repair of Sandstone (MS thesis); James Weldon Dossett; University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, 1998.
- Performance Analysis of Composite Repair of Sandstone (MS thesis); Scott M. Pons; University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, 2005.
- A Comparative Study of the Effects of Applying Acrylics and Silanes in Sequence and in Mixture: With a Case Study of the Column in the Convento of Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo, Texas (MS thesis); Anne E. Brackin; University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, 1994.
- Alkoxysilanes Consolidation of Stone and Earthen Building Materials (MS thesis); Isil Öztürk; University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, 1992.
Headstone Repair
- Performance Evaluation of Mechanical Pinning Repair of Sandstone (MS thesis); Marco J. Federico; University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, 2008.
Other References
- Stereotomy; Arthur W. French and Howard Chapin Ives; Wiley, 1902.
- Dimension Stone Design Manual, Version VIII; Natural Stone Institute, 2016.
Journal Articles, Reports, and Web Pages
General References
- Conditions Glossaries as a Tool in the Survey Process: A Review of Several Glossaries (Practice Points 12); Evan Kopelson; Association for Preservation Technology International, undated.
- Growing Old Gracefully; Julie A. Eklund and Katherine Hummelt; Historic Scotland, 2013.
- Terminology (Gravestone Preservation); Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, undated.
- Preservation of Historic Concrete; Paul Gaudette and Deborah Slaton; US National Park Service Preservation Brief; web page, 2007.
- The Maintenance, Repair and Replacement of Historic Cast Stone; Richard Pieper; US National Park Service Preservation Brief; web page, 2001.
- Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings; Robert C. Mack and John P. Speweik; US National Park Service Preservation Brief; web page, 1998.
- Stone Masonry Materials and Skills: Technical Advice Note 31; Dennis Urquart; Historic Scotland, 2007.
Cemetery Care
- Preserving Grave Markers in Historic Cemeteries; Mary F. Striegel, Frances Gale, Jason Church, and Debbie Dietrich-Smith; US National Park Service, 2016.
- Caring for Historic Graveyard and Cemetery Monuments; David Odgers et al.; English Heritage via The Gardens Trust, 2011.
- Best Practices: Summercamp 2019, Bagnowka Jewish Cemetery; Jewish Epitaphs, 2019.
- Conservation of Historic Graveyards: A Guide for Practitioners; Ingval Maxwell et al.; Historic Scotland, 2001.
- Gravestones Bite the Dust; Johnna Rizzo and Matthew Twombly; NCPTT, 2018.
- Historical Perspective of Gravestones; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Some Interesting Cemetery Stone-Related Links (Bibliography); Stone Quarries and Beyond, web page, undated.
- From Quarry to Cemetery Monuments: Transporting & Installing Monuments in Cemeteries in the 1920’s; Stone Quarries and Beyond, web page, undated.
Materials Science
- Simple Field Tests in Stone Conservation; Christine Bläuer, Christoph Franzen and Véronique Vergès-Belmin; Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on the Deterioration and Conservation of Stone; Columbia University, 2012. Free download available.
- Non-Destructive Field Tests in Stone Conservation: Literature Study; Hélène Svahn; Rapport från Riksantikvarieämbetet 2006:3; Swedish National Testing and Research Institute, 2006.
- Non-destructive Evaluation Techniques for Masonry Construction; Marilyn E. Kaplan et al.; Preservation Tech Notes, Masonry No. 4, PTN-40; US National Park Service, 1997.
- Nondestructive Testing of Historic Structures; Richard A. Livingston; Archives and Museum Informatics 13, pp.249~271; Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001.
- Particularities in Studying the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Stones in Monuments: Examples from the Mediterranean Basin; Basile Christaras; Proceedings of the 8th International Congress on the Deterioration and Conservation of Stone, pp.819~829; ICOMOS, 1996.
- Testing Mechanical Properties of Natural Stones Used as a Building Material; Hana Hasníková; Engineering Mechanics, Vol. 20, No. 5, pp.427–435; Association for Engineering Mechanics, 2013.
- Conservation Talk – Why Sandstone Monuments Have So Many Problems; Michael Trinkley; AGS Quarterly Vol.37 No.1, Spring 2013.
- Marble and its Deterioration; Michael Trinkley; AGS Quarterly Vol.37 No.2, Summer 2013.
- Calculating the Weight of Stone; NCPTT; web page, 2012.
- Mortar, Unsung Hero of History; Johnna Rizzo and Matthew Twombly; NCPTT, 2018.
- Proceedings PRO110 : International RILEM Conference on Materials, Systems and Structures in Civil Engineering, 2016 Segment on Historical Masonry; Inge Rörig-Dalgaard and Ioannis Ioannou, eds.; RILEM, 2016.
- Recommendations of RILEM TC 127-MS: Tests for masonry materials and structures; RILEM, 1996. Includes MS-D.1 Measurement of mechanical pulse velocity for masonry; MS-D.5 – Measurement of ultrasonic pulse velocity for masonry units and wallettes.
- Innovative AE and NDT Techniques for On-Site Measurement of Concrete and Masonry Structures; State of the Art Report STAR239‐MCM of RILEM Technical committee TC 239-MCM; Masayasu Ohtsu et al.; RILEM, 2016.
- Repair Mortars for Historic Masonry – State of the Art Report 45 of RILEM Technical Committee TC 203-RHM; Paul Maurenbrecher and Caspar Groot, eds.; RILEM, 2016.
- Digital Image Analysis of Petrographic Thin Sections in Conservation Research; Delaware / NCPTT, 2008.
- Review of Digital Image Analysis of Petrographic Thin Sections in Conservation Research; Chandra L. Reedy; JAIC 45, 2006; pp.127-146.
- Portland Cement vs Historic Gravestones; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2013.
- Cement: Types and Usage with Natural Stone; Marble Institute of America Technical Bulletin, 2010.
- Conservation Talk – Portland Cement in Cemetery Conservation; Michael Trinkley; AGS Quarterly Vol.33 No.3, Summer 2009.
- R-Value (and thermal conductivity values) for Natural Stone; Marble Institute of America Technical Bulletin, 2004.
- What Material Can You Use to Fill a Dowel Hole?; Chuck Muehlbauer; Marble Institute of America Technical Q&Q, 2012.
- Stone Identification; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Dimension Stone and Building Stone (Bibliography); Stone Quarries and Beyond, web page, undated.
- Stone Types (Bibliography); Stone Quarries and Beyond, web page, undated.
Weathering and Decay
- Masonry Decay; Historic Scotland, 2005.
- Mechanisms of damage by salt; R. M. Espinoza-Marzal and G. W. Scherer; Limestone in the Built Environment” Present-Day Challenges for the Preservation of the Past; Geological Society Special Publications 331; pp.61-77.
- Development of a Rapid Indicator of Biodeterioration of Historic Stone; Ralph Mitchell; Harvard / NCPTT, 2008.
- Swelling Mechanism in Clay-Bearing Sandstone; Princeton / NCPTT, 2007.
- Influence of Atmospheric Pollutants on Soiling of a Limestone Building Surface; Carnegie Mellon / NCPTT, 1995.
- Salts in the Deterioration of Porous Materials: An Overview; A. Elena Charola; JAIC 39, 2000; pp. 327-343.
- Freeze/thaw cycling in natural stone; Chuck Muehlbauer; Building Stone Magazine, Marble Institute of America, 2013.
- Water, Water & Water vs Built Structures; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2012.
- A State of Decay; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Endolithic colonization of stone in six Jewish cemeteries in urban environment; G. Caneva, R. Gasperini, and O. Salvadori; Proceedings of the 11th Int. Congress on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone; Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland; September 2008; pp. 49-56.
- Conservation Talk – The Role of Lichen in Stone Deterioration; Michael Trinkley; AGS Quarterly Vol.33 No.2, Spring 2009.
Cleaning Natural Stone
- Cleaning Basics (part of a series); Cemetery Conservators for United Standards; web page, undated.
- Cleaning; Chicora Foundation; web page, undated.
- A Guide to the Care and Cleaning of Natural Stone; Marble Institute of America, 2004.
- Stone Cleaning: A Guide for Practitioners; Christopher Andrew et al.; Historic Scotland, 1994.
- Maintenance and Repair of Cleaned Stone Buildings: Technical Advice Note 25; Maureen E. Young et al.; Historic Scotland, 2003.
- Biological Growths on Sandstone Buildings – Control and Treatment: Technical Advice Note 10; Sonja Cameron et al.; Historic Scotland, 1997.
- Biological Growth on Masonry: Identification & Understanding; Julie A. Eklund; Historic Scotland, 2013.
- Cleaning Sandstone – Risks and Consequences; Ingval Maxwell; Historic Scotland, 2007.
- Graffiti Removal; Historic Scotland, 2005.
- The Treatment of Graffiti on Historic Surfaces: Technical Advice Note 18; Dennis Urquart; Historic Scotland, 1999.
- Laser Cleaning of Stone Artifacts; Johann Nimmrichter; part of a Handbook on the Use of Lasers in Conservation and Conservation Science; COST G7 via Science for Heritage, 2005. See also a related conservation laser safety guide produced by COST.
- Cleaning Stone Grave Markers; Illinois Department of Natural Resources, undated.
- Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings; Anne E. Grimmer; US National Park Service Preservation Brief; web page, 1979.
- Removing Graffiti from Historic Masonry; Martin E. Weaver; US National Park Service Preservation Brief; web page, 1995.
- Graffiti on historic buildings and monuments – Methods of removal and prevention; Historic England, 1999.
- Water Soak Cleaning of Limestone; Robert M. Powers; Preservation Tech Notes, Masonry No. 3, PTN-37; US National Park Service, 1992.
- Cleaning Gravestones, Monuments & Stone Sculptures; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Gravestone Cleaning: What Not To Do; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Conservation Talk – Sources of D/2 Biological Solution; Michael Trinkley; AGS Quarterly Vol.36 No.3, Fall 2012.
Consolidants and Other Treatments
- Consolidation, and Learning How Stones “Breathe”; Alison Rohly; NCPTT, 2017.
- Progress with Stone Consolidants; David Odgers; Historic England, 2018.
- Nanolime: A Practical Guide to its Use for Consolidating Weathered Limestone; David Odgers et al.; Historic England, 2017.
- Corrosion Resistance Surface Treatment for Marble; George W. Scherer; Princeton / NCPTT, 2013.
- Controlling Salt Damage; George W. Scherer; NCPTT, 2011.
- Improved Sol-Gel Consolidants for Stone; Princeton / NCPTT, 2002.
- Assessing Cleaning and Water-Repellent Treatments for Historic Masonry Buildings; Robert C. Mack and Anne E. Grimmer; US National Park Service Preservation Brief; web page, 2000.
- Sealing Stone; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
Resetting Standing Headstones
- Safe Hoist Operation for Lifting Stone; Jason Church; NCPTT, 2012.
- Tablet Set Basics (part of a series); Cemetery Conservators for United Standards; web page, undated.
- Resetting; Chicora Foundation; web page, undated.
- Resetting a Gravestone; Ta Mara Conde; Association for Gravestone Studies, undated.
- Slotted Bases Basics (part of a series); Cemetery Conservators for United Standards; web page, undated.
- Monument Setting; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Foundations; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Gravestone Resetting; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Conservation Talk – Rigging for Safety; Michael Trinkley; AGS Quarterly Vol.36 No.1, Winter/Spring 2012.
Headstone Repair
- Tablet Repair Basics (part of a series); Cemetery Conservators for United Standards; web page, undated.
- Tablet Infill Basics (part of a series); Cemetery Conservators for United Standards; web page, undated.
- Stowarzyszenie Magurycz; web site, undated.
- Broken Stones; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Repairing Broken Stones; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Stone Infill; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Ferrous Metal Pinning; Jonathan Appell; GravestonePreservation.info, 2010.
- Conservation Talk – Are “Simple Epoxy Repairs” Really That Simple?; Michael Trinkley; AGS Quarterly Vol.34 No.1, Winter 2010.
- Conservation Talk – Suitability of Pins & Epoxy; Michael Trinkley; AGS Quarterly Vol.35 No.2, Spring 2011.
- Pinning Historic Gravestones: A case for wood pins; Robyn Lacy; Spade & the Grave; website, 2020.
- Stone Carver/Stone Cutter – Methods, Transportation, & Tools Used Working with Stone; Stone Quarries and Beyond, web page, undated.
Videos
Cemetery Care
- Essentials in Cemetery Monument Care; Mary Striegel and Jason Church; NCPTT, YouTube, 2007.
- Basics for Cemetery Monument Care; Preserve America / NCPTT; YouTube, 2013.
- Modern Problems in Historic Cemeteries; NCPTT; YouTube, 2014.
- ‘Make it Better than it Was’: Poor Design and New Problems in Cemetery Restoration; Robert Russel; NCPTT, YouTube, 2009.
- Made from My Own Hand: An Introduction to Concrete Grave Markers; NCPTT; YouTube, 2014.
Materials Science
- Materials Science for Building Conservation; Francesca Gherardi and Alison Henry; Historic England, 2020.
- Portland Cement Vs Historic Gravestones; NCPTT; YouTube, 2014.
Weathering and Decay
- New Approaches to Detect and Remediate Microbial Deterioration; Nick Konkol, Chris McNamara, Joseph Sembrat, Mark Rabinowitz, and Ralph Mitchell; NCPTT, YouTube, 2009.
Cleaning Natural Stone
- Cleaning a Stone Grave Marker; Jason Church; NCPTT, YouTube, 2007.
- How to Clean a Stone Grave Marker; NCPTT; YouTube; 2007.
- Comparative Study of Commercially Available Cleaners for Use on Federally-issued Headstones; Jason Church; NCPTT, YouTube, 2009.
- Gravestone Cleaning Workshop; Preserve America / NCPTT; YouTube, 2013.
- Cleaning Cemetery Monuments: featuring D/2 Biological Solution; UrbanPrepper; YouTube, 2018.
- Graffiti on Historic Buildings: Removal and Prevention; Jamie Fairchild, Clara Willett, and Catherine Woolfitt; Historic England, 2020.
Consolidants and Other Treatments
- A Survey of Stone Consolidation Methods: The case study of a sculptural monument at Forest Lawn Cemetery; Lauren Isaacs; NCPTT, YouTube, 2009.
- Use of Hydroxyapatite for Enhancing Durability in Marble; George Scherer; Princeton / NCPTT, YouTube, 2014.
Resetting Standing Headstones
- Lifting and Hoisting Stone Grave Markers; NCPTT; YouTube, 2010.
- Resetting a Stone Grave Marker: Vol. 1 stacked base with pins; NCPTT; YouTube, 2007.
- Resetting Ground Supporting Headstones: Resetting Volume 3; NCPTT; YouTube, 2016.
- Stone Moving for Dummies; Steve Gaunt; YouTube, 2014.
- Re-setting Multi-Piece Monuments; Jonathan Appell and Wisconsin Historical Society; YouTube, 2022.
- Digging Out & Moving Rocks with a WHaTS Rolling Lever; Gerry Hawkes; YouTube, 2013.
Headstone Repair
- How to Cut and Shape Stones; This Old House; YouTube, 2016.