cemetery iconography

IN MEMORIAMIN MEMORIAM

Funerary Symbols and Funerary Symbols and Their MeaningsTheir Meanings

Freedman cemetery, waterford

Cross: Rare prior to the civil war

Affirmation of christian or orthodox faith

Redemption or salvation through christ

Cultural symbol (celtic cross, greek cross, Eastern cross, etc.)

Eastern orthodox crossHollywood Cemetery, Richmond

Celtic cross, cross of ionaOakwood cemetery, Martinsville

Latin crossHollywood Cemetery, RichmondGreek or coptic cross

Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond

Cross - variations: Cross and crown – promise of the kingdom of heaven.

alternately, symbol of righteousness

Cross and mourning figure – literally, leaning on one’sfaith for support in a time of grief

Cross and vines or other plants – “living cross”, symbol of the christian faith in life after death

Chi-Rho – Greek Abbreviation for “christos” (the letter “CHI” resembles a greek cross on point)


Oakwood Cemetery, MArtinsville


Oakwood Cemetery

Falmouth cemetery, stafford county

Hungar’s episcopal church, franktown, va

Angels/cherubs:Messengers or attendants of god

Guardianship, prayer, divine intervention

Cherubs can symbolize spiritual resurrection also considered an evolution of the much starker skull and bones icon common in the 17th and early 18th centuries

Blandford cemetery, petersburg

Norman cemetery, stafford county

Oakwood Cemetery, Martinsville


The next life

Clasped hands -- a spouse or loved oneHelping the deceased to enter heaven position of hands and type of cuffs and jewelry important

Gates -- The deceased has reached and Been admitted to heaven

Finger pointing up -- confirmation that theDeceased has risen to heaven


All others Hollywood Cemetery

Jewish Funerary SymbolsStar of David – usually placed on a man’s headstone

menorah – usually placed on a woman’s headstone

Hands – indicative of kohanim (cohanim) or aaronite, a person Claiming direct descent from Aaron, brother of moses.Kohanim hold an honored status in the jewish community, and are required to offer a priestly blessing during theCentral prayer of the jewish service. the hands are meantTo evoke this blessing.

Nun and pay -- The two hebrew letters, found beneath or to Each side of a symbol, stand for po nikbar (masc.) or po nitman(Fem), “here Lies”.

hollywood

All Images from the Jewish burialGround, Oakwood Cemetery,

Richmond

Personal icons

Provide a glimpse into the professionOr interests of the deceased

Riverview cemetery, richmond Oakwood Cemetery, Martinsville


Hollywood cemetery, Richmond (all)

Although many traditional symbols areNo longer used, this sort of personal Iconography appears to be a permanentPart of the modern funerary landscape

Fraternal/socialFreemasons -- compass, carpenter’s level, Square, all-seeing eye, pyramid, Sun symbol, five- and six-pointed star

Oddfellows -- three linked rings, axe

Woodmen of the world -- hewn stump or Woodpile, axe, carpenter’s mallet, dum tacit clamat (“though silent, He speaks”)

Sons of temperance -- triangle with the Words “love, Purity, Fidelity”

Stars on women’s monuments may indicateMembership in the Order of the EasternStar, the women’s auxiliary of the Free-mason’s organization.




Fraternal/socialMembership may be indicated by the Presence of a metal plaque, either Affixed to the monument or placedSeparately.

Organizations include the united Daughters of the confederacy,Sons of confederate veterans, Sons of the American Revolution, And the american Legion.


All others Hollywood cemetery

ChildrenLamb: purity, innocence (associated with the agnusDei or lamb of god)

Dove: purity, also messenger of god Scales: a soul in balance

Flower bud: a life ended before it began

Broken chain: A family parted

All Hollywood Cemetery

ChildrenAngels in this instance symbolize the direct intervention of Heaven, through prayer and supplication or by actually carrying The soul away.

In the victorian period angels were generally believed to be female, And so most funerary depictions have feminine faces and forms. In contrast, the archangels were decidedly male and were portrayed as such, but are unlikely to be found on children’s headstones. Cherubim were generally neuter.

Victorians often preferred to depict children as asleep Or resting.

Hollywood cemetery

Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Richmond

Oakwood cemetery, martinsville

Hollywood cemetery

Hollywood Cemetery Falmouth Cemetery, stafford county

Fredericksburg Masonic Cemetery Hollywood Cemetery

Infant and child gravesites

Arlington National Cemetery

MilitaryMonuments provided by the armed forces are uniform in size, color, and Style and are set in ordered ranks, reflective of the order and precisionValued by the american military. Civil war monuments display one of two symbols depending upon whether The deceased fought for the union or the confederacy. Post-civil war monuments may include simple religious iconography.

Stones purchased by family may contain symbols of the deceased’s serviceRank or posting, or may indicate a family connection to the military.


Hollywood Cemetery

Hollywood Cemetery

mourningTruncated tree or broken column: life cut tragically shortInverted torch or flame: the “flame of life” snuffed out

Oakwood Cemetery, MartinsvilleHollywood Cemetery

Mourning

Broken flowers: the tragedy of a life ended.

broken branch with a small bud: the loss Of a child as the loss of potential beauty open blooms on the same branch symbolize The grieving parents or family

broken branch with a mature blossom: an Adult life “cut short in full bloom”

Masonic cemetery, fredericksburg

Hollywood Cemetery


MourningFunerary figures depictingGrief or mourning are almostUniversally female

St. John’s Church cemeteryFredericksburg


Plants Many of the plants used for funerary purposes have Held sacred or symbolic importance for thousands of years, and hold Similar meanings today.

oak leaves/acorns: virtue, endurance, strength

Laurel: mourning, remembrance, acclaim, victory

Fern: humility, sincerity, rebirth

Ivy: death, eternal life, affection

Willow: mourning, mortality

Olive: family, spiritual victory, peace

Palm Leaf: Resurrection



FlowersLily: purity, chastity, innocence

Lily of the valley: purity, rebirth, new life

Calla: marriage, fidelity

Rose: motherhood, love, grief

Pomegranate: resurrection

Thistle: earthly sorrow, remembrance

Dogwood: Sorrow, repentance

All Hollywood cemetery

Memento moriLatin phrase meaning “remember thatYou must die” – very popular from theCivil war through the end of the Victorian period.

The weeping willow is a common form, Often pictured with other symbolsOf death and mourning, including Urns, shattered columns, and brokenFlowers.

Falmouth cemetery, stafford county

Fredericksburg masonic cemetery

Hollywood cemetery

Fredericksburg masonic cemetery


Memento moriPerhaps the most recognizable memento mori is the human skull, often with Crossed thighbones --- a stark reminder of the reality of death and Decomposition.

the use of such symbolism originated in Europe during the plague-beset middle ages, and was brought to America by early settlers.their acceptance of the harshness of life is reflected in this matter-of-fact icon.

During the 19th century, The human skull motif evolved into gentler images as society’s view of death and dying became romanticized.

Aquia church cemetery, stafford

Aquia church cemetery, stafford

Historic jamestown

Fredericksburg Masonic Cemetery

Falmouth Cemetery, Stafford county

Memento moriHourglass (with wings): Tempus fugit, Literally “time flies”

Hourglass (without wings): finality, Also the cyclical nature of life, deathAnd rebirth

Coffins, caskets, sexton’s hardware:The physical reality of death andBurial.

Urn: representative of the remains. MayBe draped with cloth or with a garland.

Hollywood Cemetery

Thank youThank you

And thanks to edward gorey for the fab drawing

cemetery iconography

Self Improvement

richmond oakwood

martinsville

oakwood cemetery

hollywood

greek cross

life ended

richmond

cross