Appearance vs. Reality

This image is the closeup of one of the most prominent elements in the site, which is a tomb that juts above the ground. The structure appears quite grand and seems like a monument, contrasting sharply with the simpler grave markers near it.

This is the closeup of another tomb at the site that houses the remains of a person above ground rather than below ground in a grave. It is constructed of red brick and stone, with interesting geometric shapes lining the top of the tomb. 

This is a closeup of another tomb that is above the ground. What is quite striking about this particular tomb is that it is carved with the words, "We Shall Arise Again."

This video captures another portion of the graveyard, showing the tombs that line the perimeter of the site and the majestic trees that serve as centerpieces at the site. 

While the South End Burying Ground resembles an exalted cemetery of sorts containing the remains of glorified individuals with its manicured lawn, neatly groomed trees, granite walls, and elegant tombs, in reality it is home to those who were paupers, inmates, and people of modest means, many of them in unmarked graves (1,6). The graveyard is flanked on all four sides by Victorian buildings of various heights, giving it the illusion of privacy yet many of these buildings have windows that overlook the cemetery. Its position in its environment also detracts from the actual privacy it receives despite of it being guarded by walls from the streets. 

Furthermore, while cemeteries range in the density of the placement of tombstones, from the densely populated Old Burial Ground near Harvard Square and Copp's Hill Burying Ground to the extremely crowded Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York, the South End Burying Ground is very sparsely occupied with tombstones. In fact, there appears to be fewer than a dozen tombs that are visible from the periphery of the graveyard, in the form of burial mounds or more elaborate markers that resemble small monuments (2). However, upon closer examination of its history, one realizes that its appearance belies the truth, which is that although "there are only 20 grave markers, records indicate that over 11,000 are buried at this site" (1). Thus, the South End Burying Ground is highly deceptive in conveying its own history and story because its appearance suggests several lies.

First, the few towering tombstones that give off an air of grandeur and elegance, jutting proudly above the ground, carrying the illusion of being a prestigious cemetery where the prominent people were interred. What is surprising is the high degree of anonymity that the tombs exhibit because many of them are unmarked, and City of Boston's database only contains information on a handful of the graves, a tiny fraction of all the graves (3). Furthermore, the walls and gates create the perception that the graves are safely guarded but in fact, many of the graves in this burial ground were broken into and reappropriated as shelter by the homeless before the 1990s when they were resealed by the city (5). Thus, the deceptive nature of the walls suggest that they serve as porous membranes that surround the site rather than impregnable boundaries, echoing Sennett's idea that dialogue about openness in cities is best framed with membrane and borders rather than boundaries and centers. 

Overall, one can characterize the South End Burying Ground to be a collection of paradoxes: it is static and dynamic, accessible and inaccessible, humble and grand. Perhaps, this site can be best embodied by the cliché, "You can't just a book by its cover." It is a quite deceptive site, yet if one looks closer, the illusions start unraveling. 

Works Cited:
(1) http://www.cityofboston.gov/parks/hbgi/SouthEnd.asp

(2) https://www.cityofboston.gov/images_documents/Spring%202014%20hbgi_tcm3-44657.pdf

(3) http://www.interment.net/data/us/ma/suffolk/south-end-burying-ground.htm

(5) http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pis&PIcrid=2211477&PIpi=110865027&PIMode=cemetery

(6) https://www.boston.gov/cemetaries/south-end-burying-ground