Talking Gravestones of Amrum

The Talking Gravestones of Amrum, also known as the Story-telling Gravestones, are historic artifacts on the German island of Amrum, one of the North Frisian Islands off the west coast of the Jutland Peninsula. They stand in a legally protected section of the St. Clemens Church cemetery in the village of Nebel. The gravestones, totaling 152, are inscribed with sometimes detailed accounts of the occupations, life histories, social rank and families of the deceased. The best-known gravestone is for Hark Olufs, an early 18th-century seafarer and folk hero. Similar objects can be found at the neighbouring island Föhr.

The gravestones, most made of sandstone by local stonemasons, date from 1678 to 1858. Their inscriptions reflect the historic culture of the times and the whaling industry that then occupied many Frisian Islanders. The largest are 2 meters tall and weigh about 800 kilograms.