The Image of the Woman in Tombstone Inscriptions of the Polish-Ukrainian Borderland

Abstract

On the basis of tombstone inscriptions in the cemeteries of the Lublin region and in the neighbouring Volhynia, the author tries to reconstruct the image of the woman, as it is reflected in the inscriptions. The analysis of positively valued aspects of women’s lives – to whom the inscriptions are devoted – was conducted (e.g., roles related to family axiology, occupation, education). It was found that the tombstone inscriptions reflect the traditional image of the woman, who is primarily a wife and mother. The tombstone inscriptions devoted to the memory of women, as well as the inscriptions in which women speak as senders, are strongly emotionally charged. Few examples of inscriptions (mainly from urban necropolises) refer to spheres outside of family life (e.g., work and education).