About the Annual Conference

annual conferences

DAYTIME PAPERS, PANELS, AND HANDS-ON SESSIONS

In addition to the usual conference individual and group presentations, the daytime sessions have included handsĀ­ on activities such as stone carving, creating master plans and educational materials, ground penetrating radar demonstrations, and mapping with aerial drones.

EVENING LECTURES AND LATE-NIGHT PRESENTATIONS

Evening lectures highlight the most creative and forward-thinking research in gravestone studies. The keynote speaker, scholarship award winner, and Forbes recipient give special presentations. Late Night talks offer brief overviews of ongoing projects, humorous discoveries, and (mis)adventures in a convivial gathering.

FIELD TRIPS

Each year conference attendees learn about local stones, carving traditions, shapes, materials, and symbols while touring cemeteries. Explore small and large cemeteries with new colleagues during these all day trips. The cemeteries reflect the region's material culture, landscapes, and social and cultural histories.

CONSERVATION WORKSHOP

Learn in the field from professional conservators both public and private how to properly document, clean, repair, and reset stone grave markers. This hands-on workshop will adhere to the Secretary of t he Interior's Standards for Preservation while working in small groups with the instructors. Includes a Q&A session on material s, approaches, and techniques.

CEMETERY CAMP

From breakfast discussions to Late Night presentations, the AGS annual conference is more than the typical scholarly meeting - it is an experience. Join others from around the world to discuss the study, documentation, and preservation of all things connected to cemetery and gravestone studies. The AGS T-shirt is a collector's item!