Macewa malowana

Abstract

The author of the article reflects on one of the phenomena that were present in historic Jewish cemeteries in the territory of Poland: the painted matzevahs. It is well known that tombstones (not only Jewish ones) were painted as early as in the Ancient era. In the territory that had been Polish and later was partitioned, matzevahs were painted to make them more splendid, more impressive and to protect the stone itself from the weather. The painting highlighted the drawing carved in an unpolished field stone. Bright lettering made the whole inscription more legible. The development of ornaments on matzevahs, which was incredibly rapid, took place at the turn of the 18th and 19th century, The ornaments included floral and animal motifs. Although the latter ones were forbidden, the evolving Judaist tradition began to accept them gradually. The demise of Jewish cemeteries and painted tombstones was brought about by the Second World War. It is estimated that by 1939, there were approximately 1100-1200 Jewish cemeteries in the current territory of Poland. Yet tombstones were preserved only in over 400 hundred of them.