Great graves: tombstones through the ages

France's most famous cemetery, the Père Lachaise in Paris. Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde and Frederic Chopin are buried here Photograph: Olivier Hoslet/EPA

Edwin Lutyens' monumental Thiepval memorial and war cemetery in France, for British and French soldiers killed in the Battle of the Somme Photograph: Richard Klune/Corbis

The digital gravestone of Christine Lueck at the cemetery of Cologne's Porz-Ensen district, Germany. Pictures from Lueck's life are displayed on a screen, which is powered by a rechargeable battery Photograph: Henning Kaiser/AFP/Getty Images

Sylvia Plath's headstone in Heptonstall churchyard, Yorkshire. Note the surname Hughes - a source of some contention among Plath's fans Photograph: Corbis

Poet John Betjeman's grave in Cornwall Photograph: Alain Le Garsmeur/Corbis

Oscar Wilde's grave in Père Lachaise cemetery, Paris Photograph: Daniel Janin/AFP

French journalist Victor Noir's gravestone in Père Lachaise Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

The Presley family headstone in Graceland, Tennessee, where Elvis Presley is buried Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty

Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet's gravestone in Novodevichy cemetery, Moscow Photograph: Sipa Press / Rex Features

A gravestone designed for a football fan, Japan Photograph: Masatoshi Okauchi / Rex Features

A woman walks through the US National cemetery in San Bruno, California. Boy Scouts had previously placed flags on the graves Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Overgrown gravestones in Arnos Vale cemetery in Bristol, England. Set out in 1837 as a Greek necropolis, the cemetery is usually closed to the public Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

A man puts a fresh coat of paint on a gravestone to mark All Saints' Day at a cemetery in Manila Photograph: Jay Directo/AFP/Getty Images

A 'stairway to heaven' gravestone design, Japan Photograph: Masatoshi Okauchi / Rex Features

City of London cemetery, Manor Park, where gravestones and headstones are often reclaimed and recycled Photograph: Linda Nylind