|
Name - Symbol
|
Meaning
|
|
Anchor, Sextant and Crossed Staff
|
An emblem that represents a mariner
|
|
Anchor/Ships
|
Hope or Seafaring profession
|
|
Angels
|
Spirituality; in ancient Babylonia angels were
winged lions carved above the doorway to
protect the inhabitants If the angel is flying
or trumpeting, is is a sign of resurrection If
the angel is a Cherub, it is a sign of
innocence
|
|
Arches
|
Victory in Death
|
|
Arrow/s
|
Mortality
|
|
Axe, Knife and Cleaver
|
An emblem that represents a butcher
|
|
Bird
|
Eternal life
|
|
Book
|
Books include the Holy Bible (found on
Christian headstones), the Book of Mormon
(found on Mormon headstones)
|
|
Bouquets or Flowers
|
Condolences, Grief and sorrow; if the stems are
broken, the person died at a very young
age
|
|
Bowl and Razor
|
An emblem that represents a barber
|
|
Broken Column
|
Loss of Head of Family
|
|
Broken Ring
|
Family Circle Severed
|
|
Buds/Rosebud
|
Morning of Life or Renewal of Life
|
|
Bugles
|
Resurrection and the Military
|
|
Butterfly
|
Short-lived; Early Death, A life cut
short
|
|
Candle
|
If the candle is being snuffed, it is a symbol
for death
|
|
Candle being Snuffed
|
Time, mortality
|
|
Chalice
|
Sacrament; the chalice is an ancient symbol of
preservation of the heart
|
|
Cherub
|
Angelic
|
|
Coffin, Father Time, Picks/Shovels,
Darts
|
Mortality
|
|
Column
|
If it is broken, it is symbolic of the loss of
the head of the family If there are doors with
an unbroken column, it stands for 'entrance
into Heaven"
|
|
Corn
|
The person buried there lived to an old
age
|
|
Cross
|
Emblem of Faith, Crosses include St Andrew's
Cross (an inverted cross since St Andrew
couldn't bear to be crucified the same way as
Jesus), Celtic/Irish Cross (Episcopalian or
Catholic priests or monks), the Crusader's
Cross, Egyptian or Coptic Cross (an Ankh that
symbolizes Gnostic Christians or
Coptic Christians), the Greek
Cross (an equal-armed cross), the Jerusalem
Cross (associated with the Church of the Holy
Sepulcher), the Orthodox or Eastern Cross (a
regular cross), the Roman or Latin Cross, the
Teutonic Cross (popular in Russia and worn by
the Knights of Malta, it has two arms, and
others
|
|
Crossed Swords
|
High-ranking military person
|
|
Crown
|
Achievements in Heaven
|
|
Crown, Hammer and Anvil
|
An emblem that represents a
metalsmith
|
|
Dog
|
A person worthy of love
|
|
Dove
|
Innocence, Gentleness, Affection,
Purity
|
|
Drapes
|
Mortality
|
|
Face
|
Usually winged, it represents the flight of the
soul
|
|
Figure
|
If the figure has a dart, it is a symbol of
mortality
|
|
Flame, Light or Lamp
|
Resurrection; if it is inverted, it means
loss
|
|
Flying Birds
|
Flight of the Soul
|
|
Fruit/s
|
Eternal plenty
|
|
Full-Blown Rose
|
Prime of Life
|
|
Garland or Wreath
|
Symbolic of saintliness
|
|
Garlands
|
Victory in death
|
|
Gourds or Pomegranates
|
Nourishment for the soul
|
|
Grim Reaper
|
Death
|
|
Hand of God Chopping
|
Sudden Death
|
|
Hands
|
If the hand is pointed up, with the index
finger pointed up, this is the Sign of
Preservation, also called the Sign of Heaven
and Earth, and means whatever came
from Heaven must also return If the hands are
clasped, it is a farewell to marriage If the
hands are praying, it is a plea for eternal
life If the hand is upturned and has the index
and middle finger pointing up, this is called
the Sign of Blessing, or the Christogram, and
it brings blessings to those left behind
|
|
Handshakes
|
Farewell
|
|
Harp
|
Praise to the Maker, Praise or
harmony
|
|
Heart
|
Mostly found in Catholic cemeteries, it
represents Jesus dying for the sins of the
world; it can also symbolize love
|
|
Hearts
|
Soul in Bliss or Love of Christ
|
|
Hoe or Swingletree or Stalk of Corn
|
An emblem that represents a farmer
|
|
Horns
|
Resurrection
|
|
Hour Glass
|
Life is gone, Swiftness of Time
|
|
Hourglass w/Wings of Time
|
Time Flying; Short Life
|
|
Imps
|
Mortality
|
|
Ivy
|
Friendship and Immortality
|
|
Knife, Nippers, Sole Cutter and Awl
|
An emblem that represents a
shoemaker
|
|
Lamb
|
Marks the grave of a child,
Innocence
|
|
Laurel
|
Worldly accomplishments and bravery, Fame or
Victory
|
|
Lily or Lily of Valley
|
Emblem of Innocence and Purity
|
|
Lion
|
A symbol, like the angel, that guards the tomb;
it can also symbolize courage
|
|
Loom and Stretchers
|
An emblem that represents a weaver
|
|
Menorah
|
The emblem of Judaism
|
|
Morning Glory
|
Beginning of Life
|
|
Oak, Oak Leaves or Acorns
|
Power, authority and victory, Maturity, Ripe
Old Age
|
|
Open Book/ Bible
|
Deceased Teacher, Minister, etc
|
|
Palm Branch
|
Signifies Victory and Rejoicing
|
|
Palm Leaves
|
Happiness
|
|
Pick
|
Death
|
|
Poppy
|
Death, Sleep
|
|
Portals
|
Passageway to eternal journey
|
|
Rake and Spade
|
An emblem that represents a Gardner
|
|
Rings
|
If they are together, it is a promise of
lifelong fidelity If they are broken, it means
that the family has been broken up after the
persons death
|
|
Rod or Staff
|
Comfort to the bereaved
|
|
Rose/s
Many different types of stone roses twine the
tombs of UK cemeteries, each rose with its own
hidden message.
Here are just a few and their
meanings.
|
If it is fully bloomed, the person died the
prime of life, Brevity of earthly
existence.
Burgundy Rose: Simplicity and beauty
China Rose: Grace or beauty ever
fresh
Dog Rose: Pleasure and pain
Moss Rose: Melancholy
Musk Rose: The capriciousness of
life
Provence Rose: All-consuming life
White Rose: Virginity. Full of buds -
Secrecy
Wreath of Roses: Beauty and virtue
rewarded
Yellow Rose: Infidelity
|
|
Rosemary
|
Remembrance
|
|
Sheaf of Wheat
|
Ripe for Harvest, Divine Harvest,
Time
|
|
Shells
|
Pilgrimage of Life
|
|
Stars & Stripes Around Eagle
|
Eternal Vigilance, Liberty
|
|
Thistle
|
Remembrance; a person of Scottish
decent
|
|
Tombs
|
Mortality
|
|
Torch Inverted
|
Life Extinct
|
|
Tree
|
Trees symbolize life, and include a sprouting
tree (for life everlasting), a tree trunk (for
the brevity of life), and a Weeping Willow tree
(perpetual morning, grief and loss)
|
|
Tree Stump w/Ivy
|
Head of Family; Immortality
|
|
Trumpeters
|
Heralds of the Resurrection
|
|
Urn
|
Immortality If there is a flame in the urn, it
represents undying remembrance If it is
decorated with a wreath, is symbolizes
mourning
|
|
Urn with /Wreath or Crepe
|
Mourning
|
|
Urn with Blaze
|
Undying Friendship
|
|
Wedge and Level
|
An emblem that represents a Mason
|
|
Weeping Willow
|
Emblem of Sorrow
|
|
Wheat
|
A good afterlife
|
|
Willows
|
Earthly Sorrow
|
|
Winged Effigies
|
Flight of the Soul
|
|
Wreath
|
Victory
|
