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- Beehive – Bees can represent Christianity and faith, and a beehive can be a symbol of people working for the Church.
- Dog – Dogs signify loyalty and vigilance. On modern gravestones, a dog may be an homage to a pet.
- Lamb – A lamb stands for gentleness and innocence. This motif is very common on children’s graves.
- Phoenix – A phoenix symbolizes resurrection and transformation. The phoenix has been used in Christian cemetery art as early as the first century A.D.
- Kimberly Powell
- Alpha and Omega. Alpha (A), the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega (Ω), the last letter, are often found combined into a single symbol representing Christ.
- American Flag. The American flag, a symbol of courage and pride, is generally found marking the grave of a military veteran in American cemeteries.
- Anchor. The anchor was regarded in ancient times as a symbol of safety and was adopted by Christians as a symbol of hope and steadfastness. The anchor also represents the anchoring influence of Christ.
- Angel. Angels found in the cemetery are a symbol of spirituality. They guard the tomb and are thought to be messengers between God and man. The angel, or "messenger of God," may appear in many different poses, each with its own individual meaning.
- Eye
- Clasped Hands
- Dove
- Broken Chain
- Book
- Finger Pointing Up
- Corn
- Scroll
- Lamp
- Camel
If you feel someone may be looking at you in the cemetery, you might be near a tombstone engraving with an eye. Often surrounded in a burst of sunlight or a triangle, an eye typically representsthe all-seeing eye of God and could denote that the decedent was a Freemason.
Seeing two hands clasped together can illustrate shaking hands or holding hands, depending on the position of the thumbs. A handshake can mean a greeting to eternal life. If clasped hands have different cuffs, it could indicate a bond between the deceased and a spouse or relative. If one hand is higher than the other, it could also mean that a pers...
A dove usually symbolizes peace and the Holy Spirit, but its specific meaningdepends on how the bird is posed. If it’s flying upward, the soul is ascending to heaven. If it’s flying down, it represents the Holy Spirit arriving at the baptism of Jesus Christ. If it’s holding an olive branch in its mouth, it refers to an ancient Greek belief that oli...
Medieval wisdom once held that a golden chain kept the soul in the body. In death, the chain is broken and the soul is freed. If the chain is unbroken and if it features the letters FLT (for Friendship, Love, and Truth), it probably means the deceased belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization that seeks to promotech...
Was the deceased an avid reader? Maybe, but not necessarily. An open book on a tombstone might referto a sacred text like the Bible, the “book of life,” or the person’s willingness to learn. If you see a dog-earned corner on the right side, it could indicate the person’s life ended prematurely and before their “book” was finished.
A hand with the index finger raised skyward is one of the more ambiguous symbols found in graveyards. It might be pointingto heaven, or indicate the fact that the decedent has risen from the land of the living.
A corn stalk on a tombstone means the deceased could have been a farmer; it used to be a custom to sendcorn instead of floral arrangements to a farmer’s family. It might represent other kinds of grain. Alternately, corn seeds can symbolize rebirth.
A scroll engraved on a tombstone with both ends rolled up can indicatethat part of life has already unfolded while the future is hidden.
A lamp on a tombstone could speak to a loveof learning or knowledge, or it might refer to how the spirit is immortal.
While this particular camel signifies the Imperial Camel Corps that occupied desert regions during World War I, a camel can also representa long journey or a skilled guide—in this case, for the afterlife.
Cemetery Symbolism. Many people who enjoy exploring old cemeteries will have noticed interesting symbols on the gravestones. Although some symbols are modern, most of them, from Celtic crosses to draped urns are Victorian. The ouroboro, a snake eating its own tail, has symbolised eternal life for millennia.
Bugles. Resurrection; also military. Buttercup. Cheerfulness. Butterfly. The soul. It is symbolic of the resurrection of Christ. The meaning is derived from the three stages of the life of a butterfly—the caterpillar, the chrysalis, and the butterfly. The three stages are symbols of life, death and resurrection.
Headstone Materials. By determining the headstone’s composition, you can tell if the marker at your ancestor’s grave is the original or a replacement. Before the 1650s, people used mostly fieldstones or rough-cut rocks to mark graves. A stone from this time might have the deceased’s initials and death year carved on it.
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What does a poppy headstone symbolize?
Jan 6, 2015 · The poppy flower is a symbol of death, eternal sleep as well as peace. The first headstone has a single poppy carved in relief, and the second has a whole chain. Snowdrops. The snowdrop is a symbol of hope. The above headstone carving in slate is very delicate and has been painted with a light wash of white and gold. Stars
