Symbolism in the CemeteryBy Connie Lenzen, CG |
Memorial Day weekend is coming up. There are several historic cemeteries that I'll be visiting as I do the annual decorating of the graves. I hope the weather will be good so I can linger and look at some of the tombstones.
Tombstone art symbolizes hope and sadness and innocence and faith in an afterlife. Norma Eid, a long-time genealogy friend who collected interesting photos of Northwest tombstones, compiled a list of the most often found designs, and their meanings.
| Anchor—hope for resurrection and eternal life |
| Angel—a spiritual being endowed with immortality; a guardian or messenger |
| Arrow with heart—conjunction of heaven and earth to produce supreme peace and eternal rest |
| Bible, open—represents the "book of life" |
| Bible, closed—indicates the end of earthly life |
| Chain—often in the form of a circle with one link broken, indicates the continuity of the family has been broken |
| Cherub—often used for young persons and symbolizes innocence |
| Clover—represents the Trinity Columns; because of the vertical nature, it implies ascension |
| Cornucopia—joys are awaiting in heaven |
| Cross—a symbol of agony, struggle, existence |
| Crown—pre-eminence and spiritual enlightenment |
| Dove—a symbol of innocence and peace |
| Drape or veil—the closing off of earthly life |
| Flowers—reward of heaven |
| Gates of heaven—when open, they represent Christian salvation |
| Globe or sphere—the soul who is waiting for resurrection |
| Hands, clasped—a farewell to those left behind |
| Hands, pointing—the hand of God offers salvation |
| Harp—a bridge between heaven and earth Heart; signifies the center or soul of man |
| Ivy—a symbol of immortality, try removing ivy from a garden to find out how hardy it is |
| Lamb—innocence |
| Laurel wreath—a victory over the negative and dissipative influence of base forces |
| Lily—common garden flower of antiquity suggesting purity |
| Rope—a representation of ascension and eternity |
| Rose—a reminder that the soul achieves its most perfect state after death, a symbol of the blood of Christ |
| Sheaf of wheat—used for the elderly |
| Sun, rising—the resurrection of the soul |
| Sun, setting—used for the elderly |
| Tree, willow—a symbol of mourning |
| Trumpet—a symbol of spiritual call |
| Urn—the soul waits here for resurrection |
There is a new trend in stone carving to illustrate the things that the deceased held dear. They are a graphic story of their life. Reading the new stones and the old stones makes for a fascinating day.
If you are interested in other helpful articles, go to my Columns page.
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© 2000–2011
Connie Lenzen, CGSM
CG, Certified Genealogist, is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certified genealogists after periodic evaluation, and the board name is registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.