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Headstone Symbolism:
When many go out to cemeteries and graveyards, most aren't aware of the most common symbolisms and emblems that has been used on headstones. We have compiled a short list of these most common that we see and a bit of information for you! If you have information to add to the list, we would love to have you share it with us! To contact us, please contact us at: info@graveyardsandcemeteries.com as we would love to hear from you!
Different parts of the United States and Countries all over the world have different meanings and understandings that are attached to the symbolisms and emblems.
When choosing a headstone, we often choose headstone symbols and emblems with little or no knowledge or understanding about the symbolism behind the meaning. This list of cemetery and graveyard symbolisms has been assembled from various sources to help you understand the meaning of the various symbols and emblems.
Anchor:
Early Christians used the anchor as a disguised cross, and as a marker to
guide the way to secret meeting places. A Christian symbol of hope, it is
found as funerary symbolism in the art of the catacombs. Often set amongst
rocks. It can also be an occupational symbol in sea-faring areas or the
attribute of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of seamen, symbolized hope and
steadfastness. An anchor with a broken chain stands for the cessation of
life.
Angels:
The agent of God, often pointing towards heaven; guardians of the dead,
symbolizing spirituality. Angels are shown in all types of poses with
different symbolism. Two angels can be named, and are identified by the
objects they carry: Michael, who bears a sword and Gabriel, who is depicted
with a horn.
Books:
Books remind us that tombstones are documents, bearing vital statistics and
epitaphs concerning the deceased. Books may be open, possibly to signify
that the stone is a kind of biography, or closed in recognition of the fact
that the story of the dead is over. The book on a tombstone may be The Book
or The Bible. This identification can be clinched by the presence of a
citation (e.g. John 19:14) or an actual line of scripture. Arabic characters
identify the book as the Koran.
Butterfly:
The soul. It is symbolic of the resurrection of Christ. The meaning is
derived from the three stages of the life of the butterfly-the caterpillar,
the chrysalis, and the butterfly. The three stages are symbols of life,
death and resurrection. Short-life.
Candle:
Candles stand for the spirit or the soul. In Christian contexts, candles can
symbolize Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. Catholics often leave
candles on the grave to show that prayers have been said for the deceased.
Chains:
Medieval thinkers sometimes held that a golden chain bound the soul to the
body. Broken links on a headstone can mean the severance and subsequent
release of the spirit from the body. Chains are also the insignia of the
International Order of Odd Fellows, so called because of their dedication to
giving the poor decent burials. This association can be clinched by the
observation of the letters IOOF or FLT (Friendship, Love, Truth) either
inside or near the chain.
Chalice:
The chalice often appears in association with a white circle representing
the consecrated Eucharist. The two items combine to signify the Catholic
rite of Holy Communion. The headstones of priests often bear these objects.
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Cross:
Christianity. Usually mounted on three steps, signifying 'faith, hope and
charity'. The most potent symbol of the Christian faith, the cross has been
used for religious and ornamental purposes since time immemorial. To the
Aztecs it symbolized the god of rain, the Scandinavians set them up as
boundary markers, and two buns marked with a cross were found at the ancient
Egyptian site of Herculaneum.
Daisy:
Innocence of child, Jesus the Infant, youth, the Son of righteousness,
gentleness, purity of thought.
Dog:
Dogs often appear at the feet of medieval women, signifying the loyalty and
inferior place of each in the chivalric order. Modern dogs only imply that
the master was worth loving.
Dogwood:
Christianity, divine sacrifice, triumph of eternal life, resurrection.
Dove:
The little bird appears in both Christian (usually Catholic) and Jewish
cemeteries, representing some of the same things and some different things
in each. Catholics usually see the dove (which makes its first Biblical
appearance in Genesis carrying an olive branch for Noah) as the Holy Spirit.
Jews interpret the dove as a peace symbol. The biblical allusion to the dove
also suggests a connectedness with the earth and its color, white,
represents for Europeans, purity and spirituality.
Dragon:
For the Chinese, the dragon is an emblem of Imperial Power, which has
brought the universe into its thrall. It also stands for the Universe
itself, a chaotic force which none of us can truly master.
Draperies/Curtains:
In the days when the body lay in state in the parlor, it was the custom to
cover everything in black. Draperies, with their fancy frills and tassels,
are more elaborate than a simple shroud. They allow the expression of
mourning to linger long after the body has been taken out the front door and
the accoutrements have been stowed for the next death in the family.
Curtains can also set the stage. Parted, they reveal a telling excerpt. What
is important in such displays is the main actor or central object of the
stone.
Heart:
Stylized hearts stand for the affection of the living for the dead. Two
joined hearts on a stone mark a marriage.
Holly:
People used to believe that holly bushes protected tombs and other monuments
from lightning strikes.
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Ivy:
Ivy springs up naturally to cover English tombs, but Americans who
transplanted it to their graveyards decided that it meant friendship and,
like most cemetery plants, also immortality.
Lamb:
Usually marks the grave of a child. The lamb always stands for innocence.
Christians go a little further and associate it with the Lamb of God,
meaning Jesus.
Lily:
Chastity, innocence and purity. A favored funeral flower of the Victorians.
Joseph is often depicted holding a lily branch to indicate that his wife
Mary was a virgin. In tradition, the first lily sprang forth from the
repentant tears of Eve as she went forth from Paradise. The use of lilies at
funerals symbolizes the restored innocence of the soul at death.
Lion:
Symbolizes the power of God and guards the tomb against evil spirits. Like
other guardians, the lion's watch is as eternal as the stone of which it is
depicted. The lion also recalls the courage and determination of the souls,
which they guard; they manifest the spirit of the departed.
Marigold:
A large variety, called cempasuchitl, enjoys a special association with
Mexico's Day of the Dead; mostly because of its availability in that season.
Marigolds not only decorate the graves in the form of crosses and arches,
but also form trails to lead the souls of the dead to a home altar set with
their favorite foods, photos, and other pleasantries hard to obtain in the
afterlife.
Mistletoe:
The marvelous ability of this parasite to sustain itself far above the
ground lent to the Druidic belief that it was a sacred plant and an
ingredient of immortality. The "golden bough" was used in animal sacrifices.
The Norse God Balder lost his immortality when he was pierced by a
mistletoe-tipped spear.
Oak tree:
Hospitality, stability, strength, honor, eternity, endurance, liberty. It is
believed to have been the tree from which Jesus Christ's cross was made. In
smaller pioneer cemeteries, it is common to place children's graves near oak
trees. The oak tree was the tree of life in pre-Christian times. The Druids
worshipped the oak. The oak, oak leaves and acorn can stand for power,
authority or victory. Often seen on military tombs.
Palm:
Spiritual victory, success, eternal peace, a symbol of Christ's victory of
death as associated with Easter.
Pine:
Intimations of immortality ooze from the very sap of the pine tree. The
cone, for example, ensures the perpetuity of life's renewal. Pine boxes were
used as coffins in the Wild West, however, simply because the wood was so
plentiful.
Rose:
Love, beauty, hope, unfailing love, associated with the Virgin Mary, the
"rose without thorns." A red rose symbolizes martyrdom and a white rose
symbolizes purity and virginity. Whether the rose is a bud, flower or
somewhere in between indicates how old the person was at the time of death:
Just a bud - normally a child 12 or under
Partial bloom - normally a teenager
Full bloom - normally in early/mid twenties. The deceased died in the prime
of life
Rosebud, broken - life cut short, usually found with a young person's grave
Sacred Heart of Jesus:
An image unique to Catholics. The Sacred Heart is shown containing wounds to
which Crist points and it is surrounded by a crown of thorns. The heart
represents the suffering of Jesus for our sins. Prayers to the Sacred Heart
are said to be efficacious for the release of souls from Purgatory.
Scroll:
A symbol of life and time. Both ends rolled up indicates a life that is
unfolding like a scroll of uncertain length and the past and future hidden.
Often held by a hand representing life being recorded by angels. Can also
suggest honor and commemoration.
Star of David:
Six-pointed star or Star of David, also known as Magen David (Hebrew for
shield of David), it is typically used as a symbol of Judaism. The star is
actually made of two triangles. It signifies divine protection as epitomized
by the alchemistic signs for fire and water, which are an upward and
downward apexed triangle. The star is a very ancient symbol, used by several
Asia Minor cultures, as well as some Greek city-states. For Judaism, the
Star of David came into widespread use at the beginning of the 20th century.
Theodore Hertzel, a Jewish activist, adopted the symbol in his writings
promoting Palestine as a Jewish homeland.
Torch:
Until the church banned such things, most people were buried at night.
Torches furnished the light which both allowed the gravediggers to see and
the bearers to scare off evil spirits and nocturnal scavengers.
Lit, the torch signifies life -- even eternal life. Extinguished, it stands
for death. It can also stand for living memory and eternal life (e.g. an
eternal flame).
Wheat:
Wheat, like barley, was associated with the Egyptian cult of Osiris. The
death of a grain crop is followed, after a period of stillness, by the
re-sowing and germination of the seeds. Though no corpses have produced new
people, tombstone carvers still employ the ear of wheat as a symbol of
rebirth. Convent bakers use wheat flour to make communion wafers, making it
a holy plant, of sorts, fit to grace the tombstone of a priest.
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