Have you ever wandered through a cemetery and wondered about the meanings of the designs carved on old gravestones? Thousands of different religious and secular symbols and emblems have adorned tombstones through the ages, indicating attitudes towards death and the hereafter, membership in a fraternal or social organization, or an individual's trade, occupation or even ethnic identity. While many of these tombstone symbols have fairly simple interpretations, it is not always easy to determine their meaning and significance. We were not present when these symbols were carved into the stone and can't claim to know our ancestors' intentions. They may have included a particular symbol for no other reason than because they thought it was pretty.
While we can only speculate what our ancestors were trying to tell us through their choice of tombstone art, these symbols and their interpretations are commonly agreed upon by gravestone scholars.
- Alpha and Omegaalpha and omega cemetery symbolism tombstone symbols
- American Flagamerican flag cemetery symbolism tombstone symbol grave marker veterans
- AnchorAnchor symbol on a zinc tombstone in Malta Ridge Cemetery, Saratoga County, New York.
- AngelAngels in the cemetery and on tombstones are a symbol of spirituality
- Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks
- Bookbook cemetery symbolism open book symbols cemetery tombstone carving
- Calla LilySymbol of a calla lilly adorns a tombstone in Fort Ann Cemetery near Glens Falls, New York.
- Celtic Cross or Irish CrossThe Celtic or Irish cross is a cross within a circle, symbolizing eternity
- Column, Brokenbroken column tombstone symbolism gravestone cemetery symbols columns
- Daughters of RebekahSymbol of the Daughters of Rebekah at Sheffield Cemetery in Warren County, Pennsylvania
- DoveDove carved onto a tombstone in Allegheny Cemetery, Pittsburgh PA
- Draped Urndraped urn cemetery tombstone symbols
- Graphic Index
- Text Index
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