Cemetery Iconography

View additional Resources for this below the list

By Susan Hawkins

Please be patient while the new things are added.
I have hundreds of symbols and examples I will be loading.

What do the symbols and letters mean?
 

• Acorn -  a baby or young child
• Anchor  - Hope  (Early Christian Symbol) Has nothing to do with  the sea, it refers to Pope Clement who was tied to one and drowned and the Anchor was a common symbol-- it was a hidden or disguised cross. Often the chain on it broken, the ship is gone from sight to heaven.
• Angels -      means Spirituality and guardians. Symbolizing safety.
• Arrow - Mortality of the humans
• Bamboo - emblem of Buddha
• Bed - at rest
• Black and white tiles -checkered pattern or similar- Good and Evil
• Book- Faith (Bible --also other books such as the Book of Mormon or a Torah in a rolled appearance)
• Buttercup-  means cheerfulness
• Butterfly -  Resurrection
• Circle - Eternity
• Clover or Shamrock  -- Irish , or for Luck in a gambler
• Column -  Mortality ( Often shown broken)
• Crescent -  Muslim
• Crocus -   means gladness  - usually on  a child's grave
• Cross  - Christian Symbols

  Types of Cross'
•   Botonee Cross -  it is a + sign but has a tiny cross piece on each end of the arms     represents the trinity .
•    Calvary Cross- a Cross standing on three steps or blocks. stands for Faith, Hope and Love( or Charity) often the words  are on the blocks
•    Eastern Cross - (Russian/Greek Orthodox) looks like a regular cross but has two extra cross beams  one short one at the top to represent the sign that was placed over Christ's Head,  The other for the shoulders and hands (the standard crossbeam) and one short  one that usually is slanted somewhat for the feet to be nailed to.
•    Gothic Cross - has flowery ends to the arms of the cross. Sometime tightly budded and sometimes full  open.  The elderly had the fully opened.
•    Greek Cross -  Looks like an + with even arms
•    Ionic or Celtic Crosses look the same  the ends flair outward, like the shape of a trumpet and it has the circle in it.
•     Latin cross - is the regular familiar one
•    Saint Andrews Cross - looks like an X it is the symbol  on the Confederate Battle Flag
• Crown - You are gone to your Reward / Also symbolizing Jesus' Crown
• Cypress - Deep Mourning ( that's' why they are planted in the cemetery too)
• Daisy - innocence of a child also Jesus as a child
• Dove - The Holy Ghost  (Also a feather or the olive branch stand for same)  often faced downward  toward the grave , often on a child's grave.  Other Birds represent freedom .
• Fern - very common symbol means sincerity
• Fleur - de - lis  -     passion and love
• Gates - Gates of Heaven
• Hands - Farewell and other meanings, If clasped;  a male and female hand - Fidelity also shown one covering the  other cross like.  If clasped: two males or females   -- Fidelity in Friendship forever pointing upward  - Going to God, and YES there are some pointing down! Together - praying and pious            Upstretched palm cupped  begging forgiveness         Also a similar hand shape which beacons you to follow into heaven also.  Hands and arms upreached as though being lifted to heaven.
• Heart -  Love   (Flaming Heart means Charity)
•   Sacred Heart - that thorn pricked one - means the suffering of Jesus for our sins.  Asking for release quickly from Purgatory . Usually Catholic.
• Holly -  Foresight
• Honeysuckle  -  bonds of love and friends bound together forever.
• Horse - Courage ( It was in honor of the crusaders)
• Hour Glass - Time Runneth Out
• Iris - Protection
• Ivy -  Friendship  ( it is an evergreen and never dies)memory and fidelity.
• Keys -  means a learned person ( three keys is a sign of a alchemist who in medieval    days were thought to hold a secret to turning lead into gold. It is the sign of chemistry and learning)  Also a symbol of knowledge of scriptures. Also the Keys of the Priesthood or heaven as  in St. Peter
• Labyrinth (Maze of designs)  Passage of Life.
• Lamb - Innocence / Lamb of God     this is used for Children and women only
• Lamp - Flame    Eternal Light in Christ and dispelling of evil.
• Laurel - Victory over death     Finding peace. It often is in circles for a crown
• Lily - Chastity or innocence  , usually on the grave of a baby or maiden  although some Victorians started to use it meaning everyone is innocent before God.  (Thus the Munsters held them in their hands at night, as though dead)
• Lily of the valley  -  return of happiness, purity and  humility
• Lion -  Resurrection
• Maiden's Garland  --  a garland with a single white glove , usually with ribbons hanging down   represents maidenhood and innocence in a young lady. These were carried and worn by worthy friends and hung nearby, when they deteriorated they were buried on top of the grave.  The design is often found on the tombstone as a result.
• Menorah - the traditional symbol on a Jewish stone, only since the late 1800 is is the  Star of David used ( six pointed star or 'mogen david')
• Morning glory - death of someone very young, it is born and dies in one day.
• Oak Leaf - means they died elderly , had a long long life. ( of course that could mean only  50 ish or so in those days! )
• Obelisk -   Eternal life   Very very common ( this is a masonic symbol and that is why the Washington Monument's   shape was made. Also why some folks protested it!) It points toward heaven unfailing. However it was popular enough that people chose it for its looks. But check for Masonic ties just in case.
• Palm ( the plant )-  Triumph over death and preparing the way for Christ To Arrive
• Passion Flower - Christ's Passion and Redemption of mankind
• Pelican - Charity ( also reflects a longer story about their own blood but that's another story!!)
• Pentagram - First used by Greeks was used later as a symbol of God's Protection, this appears on tombstones from the 1700's and back  . The 5 pointed star represented the soul (and the 5 locations of Jesus' wounds) ; the circle of God was the Eternal life.  pagans at sometime adopted the symbol . However early information showed the Pagan stars not to be the Christian and Jewish ones but ones with more arms.
• Phoenix  - Resurrection   Its a wonderful bird symbol with wings and head to the side. You view the stomach of the bird in relief.  It's a Greek symbol)
• Pine cone - means a full long life with children born of them
• Poppy - means peace and rest, this is the reason for the Poppies on our soldiers graves;  in France , Poppies since have been planted often on soldiers graves.
• Pyramid - Eternity  often with an eye on it ( Like our Money has)   is an ancient Masonic symbol. it is means to show that the Devil cannot rest upon this foundation! Thus they built a perfect foundation of protection from him. ( Did you know that all original Confederate Tombstones were pointed ? Many many Southerners were Mason's and besides that" it prevented D....Yankee's from sitting on them"
• Rocks - everlasting strength in Eternity, referring also to foundation
• Rose - means silence   -- only lately Americans use it to reflect love but it was thought  to mean silence and if you speak only truthfulness, it was used in confessional booths and at altars so  only truth be spoken. Also that is why it was a sign on shields- a strong sign of conviction.  various types of roses mean different things ABOVE the meaning above.  All mean silence along with :
•  A double set of roses on one twig means death of two people. usually a bud with the rose, a loss of a mother with a baby usually.
•  Dog Rose (single flat one) means Pain
•  Moss Rose - Melancholy
• Large cabbage full rose -- all consuming life China (tea)  means - full bloom forever
•  Buds - on a child's grave -- virginity and innocence;   on an adults grave  - secrets
•   ( thought you might like to know what the Yellow Rose in Texas meant ! A yellow rose means infidelity!!! in historical terms. He  was a married man when he dallied in his tent with a yellow rose)
•  Wreath of Roses - Beauty and virtue rewarded in time
• Rowan -  it is a Mountain Ash Tree sacred to the Druids- it is a protective symbol  and is used extensively by Scot - Irish lineage's.
• Saints -  When you see one write down or take a picture of the saint of course these are almost always on catholic graves except for Gabriel.
•   Saint Cecilia-- holds a harp, patron saint of music- (thus the deceased was a musician  a singer, or enjoyed music greatly)
•  Saint Gabriel -  blows the horn
•   Saint George - with or without a dragon , a shield and sword, triumph over sin
•   Saint Kateri (Tekakwetha )- She represents the earth and as well as Faith never dies (she was a Native American.
•   Saint Michael  --  carries a sword
•   St. Peter  -  has keys or a gate
• Scythe - Time to Reap, From parable of the wheat field, Separated from the Chaff.
• Shell -  a Pilgrimage  to a sacred place. This is why you see shells placed by visitors at graves
• Ship - ( or any vehicle) is a Christian symbol- it carries the faithful to God  as Faith carried them through life.
• Skull (also worms or coffin shapes, bones) - Fragile mortality  all that remains, while the soul has taken

flight. The skull with wings is also common in early American and European Cemeteries. Cherubs took the place of this symbol.

•    Snake - usually in a curly 'S' position not coiled as in striking,  means eternity. They were believed to keep shedding shins and growing  as does the human shed the old and go to the new. these are really beautiful and often people fail to see them in the flowery designs on the stones.
• Sphinx - Masonic Symbol  - Guardian  , also sometimes seen is a Greek Sphinx  which is the female with breasts- same meaning though
• Star -   Stands for spirits rising ( I was also taught a 'falling star' was actually a soul on its way to heaven , the brighter the more beautiful the souls) The 5    pointed (Texas) star stands for a soul, if it is upside down on a stone the person was evil. see also Sun   Also a 5 pointed star is the symbol of the Eastern Star   (Masonic)
• Sun - the sun is shown as either sending Rays out  (God Watching us all in glory) or rising meaning Resurrection Day. Sometimes you will see the grave opened and the dead reaching toward the sun.
• SunDial means time is up. often the time is set showing early time for youngsters and much later for the elderly.
• Swastika - ancient symbol, appears everywhere until after W.W.II! Usually only because it was an easy rhythmic design and pretty in rows.  However it also stood for Buddha, and if on a chinese stone male and female.
• Sword -   Justice  and strength, often these are  combined with the cross symbols with a circle in the hilt. Did you know an Oath made with hand on a sword was as strong as one on a Bible.
•  An empty scabbard on a stone means  death, he has taken his sword and gone.
• Thistle - Scot or standing for the crown of thorns of Jesus or a hard life.
• Torch -  almost always upside down, life snuffed out. With or without flames showing it often is in the edge of a stone and no one notices its a torch.


• Tree -  tree of knowledge gained
• Trefoil & Triangles  -   Stand for the Trinity and there are other versions. Anything with threes in it
• Urn -  the most common symbol after the cross , often with a 'Pall' cast on it.
•   The funeral urn our "fleshly Vessels"and the 'container' of all that remains of the in a honored protected container.  It signifies the vessel this life has been in and is finished with. We have moved on.
• Wheat - full harvest, the resurrection
• Willow - usually a weeping willow- sorrow.
• Yew Tree -  Tree of Immortality to Celts (it is native tree to Britain) The marked  their sacred places with it. When Christianized they built churches in the Sacred  Groves

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Letters / Symbols and what they mean:
The best place to start is this list of fraternal organizations  http://www.exonumia.com/art/society.htm
Then when you know the organization go to the library or internet and enter the name for research . You will be amazed, It also has all of the various orders within the Masons and so on. Look for these letters on
 jewelry and pins also in photographs.
 

• The letter A & W somewhere together: they are the Greek letters   for Alpha & Omega  ,  the Father

and the Son ;the Beginning and the end. They may appear anywhere on the stone together. often with
a cross or crown

• I.H.S.   ( Does not mean   In his service) means one of three sayings   "In Hac Salus"  =  In This Safety    "Iesus Hominum Salvator:  Jesus -Man- Savior    the saver of men

   "In Hoc Signo"  -  In This Sign" Ye Will Conquer  (usually with a sword  somewhere & shield) It is usually shown with a cross and circle together     - Christian Cross or St. Andrews Cross and the circle of eternity)

• I.N.R.I.    "Jesus of Nazareth  King of the Jews"  John 19:19

• "P" What appears to be a P with either a + or x over it : This is the symbol for  Christ. a LABARUM  , the same reason Xmas is used. The X being Christ's'  Symbol for his name ancient Christians had this on their graves. It is still in use.



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• Masonic symbols include the pyramid, the obelisk, the compass and drafting square, the trowel, the all seeing eye in a pyramid, a beehive, and they use a hand with   a heart in it for Charity . Columns on each side with the letters J on one and B on the other stand for the entrance to Solomon's Temple. The letters mean the  words Establish and Strength.

There were three degree's of Masons so it is important to do research on the meaning of the individual symbol you have found on your ancestors grave.  The most common symbol is the compass and square standing for faith and reason. usually there is a G in the center standing for God . They also use ,   a woman holding a cross for Faith, a woman holding an anchor for hope, Virgin standing holding a book - mourning
• Eastern Star  - is the Masonic organization for women. A star with the groups no. is usually on the tombstone.   also letters spelling out : F.A.T.A.L.  =  Fairest Among Thousands Altogether Lovely

• I.O.O.F.  =  Independent Order of  Odd Fellows

Odd Fellows used the three links of a chain meaning , F.L.T. which is usually inside  the three links of a chain. it stands for friendship, love and truth. They have three degrees also.  Also they use a hand with
a heart in it for Charity as do the Masons.

• Red Letters  -  appear on a Chinese Tombstone- signifies they are still alive and they are repainted white when the person dies.

• W.O.W.   Woodmen of the World

Often these are lovely 'tree trunk' looking stones, beautiful different renditions of the stones are seen. They appear usually with an ax and the motto "Dum Tacet Clamet" meaning Though silent, he speaks.

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Good links for more information
• Association of Gravestone Studies