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Home , Cemetery, Grave

Symbolism in Stone Presented by Bret Petersen [email protected]

Sometimes it is said that “Dead men tell no tales”. However, the more one learns about tombstones and the information that they can contain, one will find that often there are many “tales” to be found. Some of the information that can be found is blatantly obvious – names, dates and sometimes even addresses or a picture of the deceased. However, often missed are the subtle messages that are found as part of the symbolism used on the tombstone itself or surrounding markers. These symbols can give you information about , group affiliations, hobbies, personality, marital status, military service or ethnic origin. The following is a compilation of some of these symbols and their meanings. Keep in mind that often the meanings are subjective and can represent many different things.

ANIMALS DOVE DESCENDING: Holy PEACOCK: ; eternity; Many markers display carved ; incorruptibility of the or three-dimensional animals and DOVE: peace; innocence; purity; flesh these have strong symbolic messenger of God carrying soul to PELICAN: feeds young with own meanings. The following are some heaven. Seven doves represent the blood; redemption through Christ of the most commonly encountered seven spirits of God or the Holy PHOENIX: immortality; baptism symbolic animal designs: Spirit in its seven-fold gifts of RAM: grace. When shown with an Olive ROOSTER: the awakening from ANT: Christian industry Sprig it means hope or promise. the fall from grace; repentance BATS: the underworld EAGLE: fierceness; ascension: the SHEEP & GOATS: Christians and BEE: resurrection, the risen Christ; heavenly conveyor, national non-believers chastity emblem of the : a SERPENT: symbol of BIRDS (sometimes only wings): military professional, Civil War SNAKE: sin; Satan; fall of man souls casualties SNAKE (hooped or in a circle): BIRDS FLYING: souls flight back EAGLE WINGED: St. John, the eternity to God Evangelist SPHINX: strength and protection; BUTTERFLY or CHRYSALIS: EGG: regeneration guards entrances resurrection; Christian FISH: Christ; plentifulness, faith SQUIRREL: Christian forethought; metamorphosis; The meaning is FOX: cruelty; cunning spiritual striving derived from the three stages of the FROG: resurrection or sometimes SWALLOW: indicates a child or life of the butterfly—the caterpillar, sin and worldly pleasures motherhood the chrysalis, and the butterfly. The HORSE: Courage or generosity three stages are symbols of life, LAMB: Christ; Redeemer; BODY PARTS death and resurrection. meekness: sacrifice; innocence; ARMS OUTSTRETCHED: the DEER (or STAG): the faithful most common 19th century child's plea for mercy thirsting for God marker BREASTS: the Divine, nourishing DOG: Signifying the loyalty and LAMB WITH BANNER: fluid of the soul (17th century); the that the master was worth loving; resurrection church; the ministry; the short life. At the feet of medieval LION: strength; courage; royalty; nourishment of the soul women, signifies the loyalty and power; guardian; fallen hero. EYE OF GOD or ALL-SEEING inferior place of each in the Symbolizes the power of God and EYE: symbolizes the all-knowing chivalric order. guards the against evil spirits. and ever-present God. DOLPHIN: portrays the idea of LION (winged): St. Mark the HANDS: Hands in some form are resurrection Evangelist very common on grave markets. DRAGON: being defeated by St. OWL: suggests wisdom Symbol of leaving George, depicts triumph over sin OX (winged): St. Luke the -Hands, clasped: Many times Evangelist these hands all seem to be in the same, but look for a number of not supposed to remarry or EFFIGES (winged): the flight of interesting characteristics. First, touch a dead body, for the soul most of the hands show the right example. People who are FATHER TIME: mortality, the hand in a grasp with fingers Cohen often have Cohen as grim reaper overlapping the other hand while their last name. This is the FOUR EVANGELISTS: Matthew, the left hand is open. This could hand gesture made by Cohen winged man; Mark, winged lion; symbolize that the devotion of at the end of services in Luke, winged ox; John, winged these two is not destroyed, a close Orthodox synagogues. eagle bond between individuals, unity HEART: Love, mortality, love of IMPS: figures, some winged, some and affection even after death. God, courage and intelligence. not, doing related tasks; Clasped hands are also symbolic of  Bleeding - Christ's suffering mortality a farewell or last good-bye. Look at for our sins. MAN (winged): St. Matthew the the cuff to distinguish between a  Encircled with thorns - the Evangelist man's or woman's hand (woman suffering of Christ for our sins TRUMPETERS: heralds of the would have a frilly cuff.) The (often Catholic) resurrection person who died first holds the  Flaming - signifies extreme WOMAN WEEPING: ; other's hand, guiding the spouse to religious fervor recalls myth of Niobe, whom the heaven.  Pierced by a sword - the gods turned to stone as she wept for • Hand of God plucking a link of Virgin Mary, harkening to her slain children a chain: represents God Simeon's prophecy to Mary at bringing a soul unto himself. the birth of Christ, "Yea, a LATIN PHRASES • Hands holding: sword shall pierce through FUGIT HORA: "hours are o A chain with a broken link thine own soul." It can also be fleeting", "time flies" symbolizes the death of a used to represent charity. IHS: monogram or symbol family member. representing the Greek contraction o A heart - symbolic of FIGURES of "Jesus": sometimes regarded as charity and is common on ANGEL: messenger between God an abbreviation of the Latin phrase 19th century memorials. It & man; guide. Angels signify meaning "Jesus, Savior of Men" is typically seen on spirituality. They guard the tomb, INRI: often seen on a banner of memorials of members of guide the soul, pray for the soul in latin cross: "Iesus Nazarenus Rex the Independent Order of purgatory, and direct the living Iudaeorum". Latin for Jesus of Odd fellows. Charity visitor to think heavenwards. Two Nazareth, King of the Jews (John o An open book - the angels, saints of the Catholic 12: 19-22) embodiment of Faith Church, can be named as we find : "remember Hand pointing: them: Michael, who bears a sword, death" • Hand pointing: and Gabriel, who toots a horn. TEMPUS ERAT: "time is gone"; o Downward - mortality or Angels shown without one or the "time has run out" sudden death. (Possibly a other of these artifacts belong to the XP: Chi Rho-first two Greek letters depiction of a secret nameless legions of personal of the word "Christ" Masonic handshake.) guardian angels and other o Upward - the reward of decorations. OBJECTS the righteous, ANGEL FLYING: rebirth; confirmation of life after ALPHA & OMEGA: first and last guardian angel letters of the Greek alphabet death. Heavenly reward, ANGEL TRUMPETING: call to ascension to heaven. symbolizing the beginning & end the resurrection of all things, see Revelation 22:13 • Hands praying: connote ANGEL WEEPING: devotion ANCHOR: hope, life eternal; may CHILD or CHILDREN: usually signify seafaring profession. An • Two hands touching at thumbs represent the untimely death of the - The hands are making the anchor with a broken chain stands innocent. They may be shown for the cessation of life. "Live long and prosper" mourning a parent, but if holding a gesture that Mr. Spock used ANVIL: martyrdom skull that means they are dead ARCH: triumph, victory in death on Star Trek (Leonard Nimoy themselves. is Jewish, and that's where he ARK: church; salvation CHILD SLEEPING: Victorian ARK OF NOAH (rare): refuge, got it). death motif The Cohen was the priestly salvation DEATH'S HEAD WINGED: ARMOR: protection from evil caste. They perform a few mortality specific functions in Orthodox ARROW: martyrdom, mortality EFFIGES: the soul ARROW QUIVER: warlike Judaism, and have a few EFFIGES (crowned: personal unique restrictions: they are reward of righteousness BABY'S CHAIR: small, empty in the cross. The cross also appears the of adults. The continual furniture symbolized unfulfilled in Japanese heraldry where it movement suggests constancy, lives of children; represented the stands for the four quarters of the perhaps of affection. child now gone; with small shoes earth or the four cardinal directions. PITCHER: Jewish symbol, on chair - connection to childhood, CROSS (with rays of rising sun): representative of washing the hands symbolized inability to achieve glory of the High Priests. adulthood CROSS (with winding sheet): PORTALS: passageways to the BANNER: victory; triumph descent from cross eternal journey BATTLE AXE: martyrdom CROWN: reward of faithful, PORTRAITS: stylized likenesses BELLS: call to worship victory, triumph, glory; of the deceased BIBLE: resurrection through the righteousness; resurrection : symbolic of death scripture; the clergy. CROWN ON CROSS: sovereignty ROCK: steadfastness of Christ; • A single Holy Bible is often of Christ stability found on Christian stones. CROZIER: bishop ROD or STAFF: Comfort for the • Two holy books on Mormon CUP or CHALICE: Usually used to bereaved. indicates the Bible represent the Sacraments or ROSARY: devotion to Mary and the Book of Mormon Eucharist SCALES: weighing of souls; • Three holy books - the Bible, DARTS: mortality, dart of death justice Book of Mormon, and DOOR: entrance to heaven SCROLL: the law; Scriptures, Doctrine & Covenants DRAPERY OVER ANYTHING: honor and commemoration. BOOK: faith, learning to read and sorrow; mourning Symbol of life and time. Both ends write, a scholar. It may represent FIELD ARTILLERY (rare): the rolled up indicates a life that is the Book of Life. A popular form is military profession unfolding like a scroll of uncertain the book as a double page spread. FINGER: pointing to heaven length and the past and future see also Bible FLAME: eternity hidden. Often held by a hand BOOKS (stacked): knowledge FLEUR-DE-LIS: Virgin; Trinity representing life being recorded by BRANCH SEVERED: mortality FLYFOT: swastika angels. BUGLES: resurrection; the military GATE: passage into heaven or SCYTHE or SICKLE: time, the profession divine harvest. CANDLE BEING SNUFFED: GARLAND: victory SHELL, SCALLOP: pilgrim; time, mortality, loss of life. HARP: Associated with David in pilgrim's journey; resurrection, a CANDLE FLAME: life the Old Testament; symbol of St. traditional symbol of the Puritans. CANDLESTICK: Christ; devotion Cecilia, patron saint of musicians. SHIP: the Church CELTIC CROSS: circle on it Symbolic of worship in heaven, SHIPS' PROFILES: the seafaring symbolizes eternity hope. profession CIRCLE: eternity; or earth HOURGLASS: The classic symbol : wisdom; knowledge CLOCK (rare): passage of time, for Time. Sometimes shown with SHOVEL or SPADE: Death mortality wings. HOURGLASS (with SKELETONS: mortality, Death CLOUDS: the divine abode wings)Some say the resurrection of SKULL: death; sin COATS OF ARMS AND the dead. Others say it may be a SKULL (winged): A once common CRESTS: lineage, status reference to the saying "Time motif on New England tombstones. : mortality flies." It represented the flight of the soul COLUMN (broken): sorrow; HOURGLASS (on its side): time from mortal man. Over a century, broken life, the eventual ruin or has stopped for the deceased the skull grew skin and became a of us all. It often KEYS: Stand for spiritual cherub. represents the loss of the Family knowledge or, if held in the hands SKULL (with crossbones): head. of an angel or saint (especially mortality COLUMNS (with doors, archway): Peter), the way to enter heaven. STAR: birth-life; Christ heavenly entrance KNOT: The interlaced Celtic knot STAR (five pointed): Star of CRESCENT MOON: Virgin or the represents resurrection and life Bethlehem; star of Jacob; divine deceased was probably a Muslim. everlasting. guidance and protection CHRISMA: a cross like shape LABYRINTH: The passage of life STAR OF DAVID: Recognized as formed by a combination of two LAMP: Like other light sources, the international symbol of Greek letters, chi (X) and rho (P) lamps stand for knowledge and the Judaism. corresponding to CH and R of the immortality of the Spirit. SUN: God or Son word, Christ, hence a symbol for SUN (setting): death Jesus Christ. PINWHEELS: Originally SUN (rising): resurrection; CROSS: salvation. Christians appearing on the graves of children, renewed life remember the hope of resurrection pinwheels now can also be seen on SUNS, MOONS AND STARS: the some symbolic references to FRUIT AND VINE: Jesus Christ; reward of the resurrection common plants and : the Christian church SUNDIAL: Intended to remind ACACIA: immortality of soul GOURDS: the coming to be and visitors of the nearness of the ACANTHUS: heavenly garden. passing away of all earthly matters closing of the cemetery gate. One of the oldest and most GRAPES: Christ SWORD: martyrdom; courage; common cemetery motifs, acanthus GRAPES AND LEAVES: warfare is associated with the rocky ground Christian faith. SWORDS (crossed): high ranking where most ancient Greek HAWTHORN: hope, merriness, military person, possibly death in were placed. springtime battle ALMOND: favor from God; Virgin HOLLY: foresight THREE: three points, three leaves, birth HONEYSUCKLE: bonds of love, three of any thing indicate the APPLE: sin; Eve generosity and devoted affection Trinity BAMBOO: the emblem of Buddha. IVY: abiding memory, friendship, : mortality The seven-knotted bamboo denotes fidelity, immortality TORCH: zeal; enlightenment the seven degrees of initiation and LAUREL: victory, triumph, glory Until the church banned such invocation in Buddhism. On LILY, LILIES: The virgin’s , things, most people were buried at Japanese memorials - symbolic of also the symbol of innocence and night. Torches furnished the light devotion and truthfulness. purity. which both allowed the BELLFLOWER: gratitude LILY OF THE VALLEY: return of to see and the bearers BOUQUETS: condolences, grief happiness, purity, humility. to scare off evil spirits and BUDS: renewal of life LOTUS: Egyptian water lily and nocturnal scavengers. Lit, the torch BUTTERCUP: cheerfulness. ornament signifies life -- even eternal life. CALLA LILY: symbolizes MORNING GLORY: Signifies the Extinguished, it stands for death. It marriage. beginning of Life can also stand for living memory CEDAR: strong faith; length of MYSTIC : Mother and eternal life (e.g. an eternal days; success MOSS: merit flame). CINQUEFOIL: maternal affection, MULBERRY:I will not survive TORCH (inverted): of beloved daughter you life; death; mourning CORN: it was a country custom to OAK LEAVES and ACORN: Oak TORCH (upright): immortality, send a sheaf to relatives on the leaves can stand for power, liberty, upright life, the scholastic death of a farmer. It may be used as authority or victory. Often seen on world, the betrayal of Christ an occupational symbol. Military tombs. TRUMPET: judgment day; CROCUS: youthful gladness OAK TREE: hospitality, stability, resurrection CYPRUS: sorrow; death; eternal strength, honor, eternity, : Greek symbol of mourning life, Roman symbol for mourning endurance, liberty. In smaller URN (draped): death, sorrow DAFFODIL: death of youth, desire, pioneer cemeteries, it is common to URN (with flame): Undying art, grace, beauty, deep regard. place children's graves near oak remembrance DAISY: innocence of child, Jesus trees. WINGED GLOBE: a symbol of the the Infant, youth, the Son of OLIVE: peace; healing faith Egyptian sun god, Re; on Victorian righteousness, gentleness, purity of PALM: spiritual victory over death; it is symbolic of the thought. martyrdom; reward of the power that can recreate and, with DEAD LEAVES: sadness, righteous; peace the wings, means, "God, Lord over melancholy PANSY: symbolizes remembrance all, creator.” DOGWOOD: Christianity, divine and humility. WINGED WHEEL: Holy Spirit sacrifice, triumph of eternal life, PASSION FLOWER: the elements YOKE: bearing burdens; service; resurrection. of the passion of Christ: the lacy patience EASTER LILY: modern flower crown—the crown of thorns; the symbolic of resurrection five stamens—the five wounds; the TREES & PLANTS EVERGREENS: immortality 10 petals—the 10 faithful Apostles Flowers convey love, grief, FERN: sincerity, sorrow PINE: fertility, regeneration, happiness and other emotions. FIGS: prosperity, eternal life fidelity These symbolic connections of FLEUR-DE-LIS: flame, passion, PINEAPPLE: hospitality, good flowers with emotion are cross- ardor, mother host cultural and their origins are FLOWER: brevity of earthly POMEGRANATE: immortality; unknown. During the 1800s, the existence, sorrow resurrection; unity; nourishment of use of floral symbolism became so FLOWER (broken): premature the soul popular that almost every flower death POPPY: symbolic of eternal sleep known had a symbolic gesture FORGET-ME-NOT: remembrance ROSE: condolence, sorrow; the attached to it. The following are FRUIT: eternal plenty brevity of earthly existence; of English descent incited by the SHAMROCK: Ireland as country VINE: Christian church; Christ; Tudor Rose. of origin wine, the symbolic blood of Jesus; Often indicates how old the person SHEAVES OF WHEAT: time, the the sacraments was at the time of death: divine harvest WHEAT: resurrection, bread and • Just a bud - normally a child 12 STRAWBERRY: righteousness; wine (Christian), fertility or under humility WHEAT BUSHEL: body of Christ • Partial bloom - normally a THISTLE: of Scottish descent; the WHEAT SHEAVES: the divine teenager inevitability of death, Christ’s harvest, sometimes represents the • Full bloom - normally in crown of thorns. aged. early/mid twenties. The deceased TREE: faith; life; the Tree of Life WILLOW, WEEPING: grief; death died in the prime of life TREE (felled): mortality (carried at Masonic ); ROSE WREATH: Beauty and TREE (sprouting): life everlasting earthly sorrow, the symbolic tree of virtue rewarded TREE TRUNK (or broken): human sadness, Nature's lament ROSEBUDS (joining) - strong premature death or the shortness of WREATH: victory in death, bond between two people (e.g., life. saintliness and glory, eternity. mother and child who died at the TREE TRUNK or STUMP WREATH WORN BY SKULL: same time SHAPED STONE: usually victory of death over life ROSEBUDS (several on same indicates a member of The YEW: immortality, sadness branch) - secrecy Woodmen of the World ROSEMARY: remembrance

POSSIBLE INDICATORS OF THE DECEASED’S OCCUPATION

BARBER: Barber Bowl (for bleeding) and Razor. MERCHANT: Scales, some type of sign. BUTCHER: an axe, steel knife and cleaver. MINISTER: Bible FARMER: Coulter (type of hoe), flail (threshing SHOEMAKER: Leather cutter's Knife, Nippers, implement), swingletree (rod for beating flax), Sole cutter & Awl stalk of corn. SMITH: Crown, Hammer & Anvil GARDENER: Rake & Spade. TEACHER: Open Book. MASON: Wedge & Level WEAVER : Loom, Shuttle & Stretchers. MARINER: Anchor, Sextant & Cross Staff.

GEOMETRIC SYMBOLISM – from the Glossary of Victorian Cemetery Symbolism Website Geometric forms are commonly found on grave memorials: CIRCLE: The circle is pre-Christian and its original symbolic meaning has been adopted by Christianity. It is universally known as the symbol of eternity and never-ending existence. Extremely common on gravesites, its usual representation is a cross surrounded by circle. Two circles, one above the other, represent earth and sky. Three interconnected circles represent the Holy Trinity. CROSS: There are many different types of Christian crosses worldwide, but only a handful are common in North America. • BOTONEE CROSS: So named because of its modified trefoil (three-lobed) ends, represents the trinity. • CALVARY CROSS: A Latin cross standing on three steps or blocks, it signifies faith, hope and love. Love is sometimes replaced by charity. • CELTIC CROSS: The circle around the crosspiece symbolizes eternity. It's origin can be traced to the Celtic of the British Isles. There is a legend of how St. Patrick when preaching to some soon to be converted heathens was shown a sacred standing stone that was marked with a circle that was symbolic of the moon goddess. Patrick made the mark of a Latin cross through the circle and blessed the stone making the first Celtic Cross. • EASTERN CROSS: Used in Orthodox (Russian/Greek) Christian , this cross upper horizontal shoulder representing the inscription over the head of Jesus. The lower slanting shoulder represents the footrest of the crucified Jesus. • FLEUREE CROSS / GOTHIC CROSS: This flowered cross symbolizes the adult Christian by its more opened flaired out ends • GREEK CROSS: It has four arms equal in length and is the traditional symbol of Christian faith. The equal length drawings of the cross is pre-Christian, and in paganism, represented the four elements— earth, air, fire and water. • IONIC CROSS: Similar to the Celtic Cross, it's ends flair outward. The ionic cross signifies everlasting salvation, love and glory. The circle around the crosspiece symbolizes eternity. • LATIN CROSS: One of the oldest symbols of Christianity and the most commonly used form, it is also the simplest in design. In early times, it was called god's mark

TRIANGLE / TREFOIL / TRIQUETRA: In Christianity, the equilateral triangle is the symbol of the Trinity. Other geometric shapes representing the Holy Trinity are the trefoil, the triquetra, the circle within the triangle, the triangle in circle and the triquetra and circle. To the ancient Egyptians, the triangle was an emblem of Godhead; to the Pythagoreans, it symbolized wisdom. SQUARE: It represents the earth and earthly existence. Some monuments have a cube or square inverted to point the corners downward and upward. This illustrates earthly existence and the directions of earth and heaven. PENTAGRAM: This is a five-pointed, star-shaped figure made by extending the sides of a regular pentagon until they meet. This figure pre-dates Christianity and was first known to be used by Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher. Later in the Middle Ages, the pentagram was used by magicians and sorcerers. It was believed that the pentagram offered protection against evil. Christianity adopted the figure and the symbolism to suggest the five wounds suffered by Christ on the cross. It is interesting to note that the pentagram is used by both Christianity and Wicca (witchcraft). PYRAMID: Eternity. It was supposed that a pyramid-shaped tombstone prevented the devil from reclining on a grave. SWASTIKA: Exact origin is unknown but it is considered one of the oldest and widespread symbols used. Commonly found on Buddhist memorials, it represents the seal of the Buddha’s heart; the doctrine of Buddha; the round of existence. To the Chinese, the swastika had two forms symbolizing the male and female; clockwise and anti-clockwise. Also used by the Romans and later by the Nazi party in during the Second World War.

For more information see the following websites or books (and many others) - Web Sites Books

The Association for Gravestone Studies Early American Gravestone Art in Photographs http://www.gravestonestudies.org/ by Francis Y. Duval (Dover Publications)

Cemetery Symbolism: A Wary Glossary Graven Images: New England Stonecarving and http://www.alsirat.com/symbols/symbols1.html Its Symbols, 1650-1815 by Allan L. Ludwig (Wesleyan University Press) From Beyond the Grave: Cemetery Symbols http://www.prairieghosts.com/grave_symbols.html Gravestones of Early New England, and the Men Who Made Them, 1653-1800 by Harriette Glossary for Studying Cemeteries Merrifield Forbes (Pyne Press) http://www.history.org/history/teaching/glossary2.cfm Soul in the Stone: Cemetery Art from America's Glossary of Victorian Cemetery Symbolism Heartland by John Gary Brown (University http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/pages/Cem_Symbolism.htm Press of Kansas)