Evocative spots from Cambridge and Tombstone, to Buenos Aires, beyond

Every major city has some kind of grandiose graveyard. We often stumble upon these "cities of the dead" in our travels - usually a centuries-old swath of walled greenery and limestone on the outskirts of the city, thick leafy trees droop over mismatched rickety headstones and larger-than-life sculptures of angels beckon us in. In the 19th century, before the age of the public park, cemeteries doubled as leisurely places for families to spend the day relaxing and eating in the tranquil landscape.

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Dating of cremated remains shows burials took place as early as 3000 B.C.

WASHINGTON - England's enigmatic Stonehenge served as a burial ground from its earliest beginnings - perhaps for ancient kings or chieftains, researchers reported Thursday.

Radiocarbon dating of cremated remains shows that burials took place as early as 3000 B.C., when the first ditches around the monument were being built, said University of Sheffield archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson. Those burials continued for at least 500 years, when the giant stones that mark the mysterious circle were being erected, he said.

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