What is the meaning of the Jewish tradition (ritual) of placing a stone on the Headstone of the Dead?

In the very old days, the cairn was often made from heaped stones.

If you came to the cairn to visit, you would check its integrity and add to it to assure that it was maintained.

The modern custom is a ritualized version of this -- symbolizing the upkeep of the grave which is the one sort of honor that the living can pay to the dead.

NOTE: Its not a real "ritual" - not a commandment -- just a custom of respect

I only found out about this within the past couple of years because my son, when he was still at school, had a Jewish teacher who told him about this. When we visited the non-Catholic cemetery in Rome, my son put stones on the headstones of Jewish people.

I shall now have to look this up to jog my memory because I am sure my son told me why.

Cheers.

it's about control.. nothing more.

tangibility... sorry.. i'm not sure why we still do this because it has to be true we are ethereal.. come on.. we are doomed to repeat ourselves... in our little prisons of life...

i'm going to be ashes.. hopefully drank or smoked..

would serve whomever right!

no stone for me implanted in a prison of concrete and cheap embellishments.

It's to show that somebody visited the grave.

who knows really...a lot of the rituals and traditions of the jews were made up by a bunch of old drunk rabbis...

well how would you stop them from rising as zombies?