Terry G. Jordan-Bychkov (1938–2003)

Terry G. Jordan was a professor of cultural geography at North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas) when this book was published in 1982.  This book discusses the features of three types of cultural graveyards typically found in Texas - Mexican, German, and what the author calls "southern" (a blend of Anglo-American, African-American, and Native-American customs).

Although an academic book, with seven small-font pages each of endnotes and bibliography, and a three-page index, it is quite readable, as it is only 126 pages and is illustrated with numerous black-and-white photos and drawings, and includes a double-page-spread map of Texas counties.  Some color photos, especially in the Mexican graveyard chapter, would have been a nice addition.

The chapter on German graveyards was particularly interesting, especially the sections on internal spatial arrangement (stone and wood grave curbings), metal glass wreath boxes, intricate metalwork crosses, elaborate (often rhyming) epitaphs in German, and the various hex signs and symbols decorating markers: Sonnenrad (sun wheels), Hakenkreuz (swastika, often whirling), Sechsstern (six-pointed stars), Urbogen (arc), Drudenfuss or Hexefiess ("witch's foot"), Pentagramm, and Teutonic concave-pointed turnip-shaped hearts.… (más)