Got this from
Ancestry.com a long while back
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Cemeteries have always held a certain fascination for me. They are restful,
reflective places filled with a sense of timelessness. They also are the
site of much genealogical research. Roaming through older cemeteries, I am
often struck by the carvings on gravestones or the statuary there. Perhaps
you, too, have asked yourself the meaning of a particular carving. In
"Along Those Lines . . ." this week, I want to discuss cemetery
iconography--the meanings of some of the images found in the graveyard.
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF DEATH CUSTOMS AND IMAGES
Humans have long marked graves and commemorated their dead. At some point,
prehistoric man began the custom of burying the dead. Stones were used to
prevent wild animals despoiling the gravesite. Later, seashells,
tools,beads, clothing and other items were piled atop the grave or buried
with the dead and funereal rites began.
The ancient societies of Egypt, China, and others are particularly
noteworthy for their funeral customs, the building of elaborate tombs, and
the development of unique types of funerary art and sculpture. When you
think of Egypt, the images of mummies, elaborate pyramid tombs,
hieroglyphic paintings, and other death-related objects immediately come to
mind. The ancient Romans interred their dead in niches beneath the city in
what are known as the Catacombs. In fact, studies of all human
civilizations reveal that, to some degree or other, they have developed
some ritual customs for dealing with death and with the remains of their
dead. These include mound building, cremation, launching the dead out to
sea in boats, sacrifices (human and otherwise), body painting, hair
cutting, keening and wailing, erecting huts or tomb buildings, placing
simple or elaborate markers at the death and/or burial site, and a wide
variety of other customs.
European cultures developed in similar fashion. Pictorial images have been
used to commemorate death, with a wide variety of images used. Religious
symbols and icons were used and perpetuated by the various sects. Other
images came into use during less than cheerful circumstances. The death's
head and the dancing skeleton, for instance, became common representations
for life's brevity during the epidemics of the plague in Europe. As the
centuries passed, more and more graphic representations came into use.
During the Victorian era in both Europe and the United States, exceedingly
elaborate tombs, gravestone carvings, statuary, funerary clothing and other
paraphernalia evolved to commemorate the dead. They also allowed the living
to share their sorrow and mourning with one another and for posterity. And
entire cemeteries, planned as rural recreational parks, were developed.
GRAVEN IMAGES AND ICONS
Cemeteries and grave markers are big business. The stonemason and the
sculptor have had plenty of work over the centuries because of the dead. In
some cases, two or more generations of a single family carried on the
business. They developed their own stone shapes and carving styles, but the
use of graven images became something of a standard.
As you roam through a cemetery, you are likely to see the same image again
and again. The survivors erected markers to commemorate the dead and used
icons to communicate something about the deceased. Do you know what some of
these icons represent? Let's examine some common ones.
A weeping willow tree indicates mourning or natural grief. Clasped hands
signify farewells said at death, while a hand pointing upward indicates the
pathway to heavenly reward. An urn represents immortality, just as the
Egyptians believed that removing and enclosing the viscera in canopic jars
preserved the deceased's vitality for eternity. An angel blowing a trumpet
indicates resurrection, as does a flying dove. Wheat sheaves represent the
divine harvest, and a wreath signifies victory over death.
Statuary in cemetery is common. The Victorians adored their children, and
the death of a child was considered a catastrophic tragedy. While a status
of an urn draped with a drape or shawl indicates deep mourning or sadness
for an adult, there are examples of children's statuary. Some of these
include: the lamb, a figure signifying purity; a small chair or cradle,
representing the emptiness caused by young loss; a doll, a rattle or other
toy, indicating the premature end of childhood; a sleeping baby, picturing
the eternal rest for an infant; praying hands, signifying the hope that the
child is now in God's care.
While some of these images may seem self-explanatory, others may be more
cryptic. Flowers represent the fragility of life and plucked flowers
indicate the early severance of a life in bloom. A lion is indicative of
courage and an arrow represents mortality. A snake with its tail in its
mouth indicates everlasting life in heaven, while a coiled snake indicates
sin. Roosters are common in some cemeteries, representing resurrection. The
pelican represents redemption through Christ, while ants indicate Christian
industriousness. Scales are indicative of the weighing of justice for the
judgment of the dead.
Sometimes there will be Latin phrases carved on stones. "Memento mori"
means "remember death." "Tempus erat" means "time is gone."
There are many
other such phrases that can be interpreted with a simple Latin dictionary.
USING ICONOGRAPHY IN RESEARCH
Remember that the icons were used for a reason. They were sometimes
selected in advance of death by the person whose grave the stone was to
adorn. Usually, however, they were chosen by the surviving family. These
carved icons or statuary, taken with epitaphs, scripture, and other
carvings, can often provide another insight into the nature of the person
and/or his family.
There are some excellent Web sites you may use for your reference. The
Olive Tree's "Graven Image" site can be found at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ote/grave.htm
There is also a site there called "Grave Symbols" at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ote/grave_initials.htm
containing abbreviations found on gravestones indicating membership in an
organization. Another site which contains symbols of various beliefs can be
found at:
http://www.cem.va.gov/hmemb.htm
The Association for Gravestone Studies has a Web site at
http://apocalypse.berkshire.net/ags/
The site contains a good collection of links to cemetery-related materials,
but their publications in their online book store and gift shop are
excellent. These include some kit collections of very informative leaflets
at a good price and the best selection of cemetery reference books in one
place on the Internet.
Think about the graven images on the tombs and gravestones the next time
you visit an old cemetery. Understanding the graphics and icons can help
you read between the lines and perhaps learn more about the natures of the
people interred there. It adds another dimension to your research and
enjoyment there in the cemetery.