A Bit About Tu-Endie-Wei State Park:
The park is located at the confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio rivers in Point Pleasant. It contains an 84-foot granite monument commemorating the frontiersmen who fought and died in the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant. “Tu-Endie-Wei” is a Wyandotte word meaning point between two waters.” This earthcache highlights gravestone weathering in the park.
Gravestone Weathering:
Weathering is the deterioration of rocks, soils, and minerals through contact with water, atmospheric gases, and biological organisms. Weathering occurs on-site, with little or no movement, and is distinct from erosion, which involves the transport of rocks and minerals by agents such as water, ice, snow, wind, waves, and gravity.
Physical weathering involves the breakdown of rocks and soils through the mechanical effects of heat, water, ice, or other agents.
Chemical weathering involves the chemical reaction of water and atmospheric gases.
Biological weathering is the deterioration of rock due to biological organisms.
Gravestones can show the effects of weathering and the types of weathering used in the process. University College London notes several indications of weathering present on gravestones:
Image 1: Classifications of Gravestone Weathering Credit: UCL
Materials used for Gravestones:
Granite - composed of quartz, feldspar, and mica. Granite is a common rock for gravestones as it resists weathering from high heat and acid rain.
Marble - composed of calcite and/or dolomite. Marble gravestones tend to exhibit sugaring (a rough, crystalline surface) due to granular disintegration.
Limestone - composed of calcite, aragonite, and other forms of calcium carbonate. Limestone is an easy material to carve lettering for gravestone; however, it is prone to contour weathering, especially in areas experiencing large amounts of acid rain.
Concrete - man-made material composed of a conglomeration of gravel, cement, and sand. Concrete is susceptible to biological weathering, often colonized by lichens, moss, or even molds.
Logging Tasks:
- Observe the gravestone at the GZ. According to Image 4 and your observations at the site, what weathering indications do you observe?
- Is physical, chemical, biological, or a combination of multiple weathering types present on the gravestone?
- What material is the gravestone composed of?
- As of June 2019, earthcaches contain required photo logging tasks. Please provide a photo of yourself, your GPSr, or a personal item that proves that you have visited this site. Please post this in your log.
Sources:
https://wvstateparks.com/park/tu-endie-wei-state-park/
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/earth-sciences/impact/public-engagement/londons-geology/londons-geology-fieldwork/st-pancras-gardens/gravestone#:~:text=In%20simple%20terms%2C%20weathering%20is,to%20300%20years%20or%20more
https://www.101corpuschristi.com/3330
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