from another genealogy group . . . sure helps me understand some of the things on tombstones. kemis Gravestone Imagery... Karin Sprague Following are some common images used in carving gravestones. Although these designs and meanings are traditional, we encourage our clients to explore other images that, while less traditional, offer more personal meaning. * AE or ae (next to one another or touching) — an abbreviation for "aged", as in "died May 13, 1864, ae 54 yrs 1 month & 6 days." * A.E.F. — American Expeditionary Forces. * American Flag on stone, or small flag placed beside stone — usually, military service; patriotism. * Anchor or ship — hope, or seafaring profession. * Arches — victory in death. * Arrows — mortality. * Bouquets or flowers — condolences, grief, sorrow. * Broken column — loss of head of family. * Broken ring, chain forming a near-circle, perhaps with one broken link dangling in place — family circle severed. * Buds, rosebud — morning of life, renewal of life. * Bugles — resurrection; also, the military. * Butterfly — short-lived, early death; resurrection. * Candle being snuffed — time; mortality. * Celtic cross (has circle at the intersection of the crossbar and the upright shaft) — from Ireland; said to serve as a double symbol of eternity and unity, both that of the Son with the Father and the Holy Spirit and that of the believer with the Trinity - a common theme of St. Patrick's preaching. * Cherub — angelic. * Christ, Virgin Mary, a saint, an angel or the like — devotion to that holy figure; desire for their aid to attain heaven. * Clouds — veil which conceals God from His worshipers. * Coffin, Father Time, picks/shovels, darts, palls, skulls, skeletons and bones — mortality; the passing away of the flesh, items used surrounding its entombment, and the inevitability of death. * Corn — ripe old age. * Cross — emblem of faith. * Crossed swords — high-ranking military person. * Crown — honors glorified souls and angels, or points to the triumph of death, when it caps a winged skull. Sometimes juxtaposed with cross; indicates that earthly life includes suffering, and the afterlife, victory. * D.A.R. or S.A.R. — Daughters/Sons of the American Revolution. * Dove — innocence, gentleness, affection, purity. * F.L.T.in three links of a chain; I.O.O.F. — Friendship, Love, and Truth. It is the symbol of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization. This organization takes care of widows and orphans, and in general, does good works. * Flying birds — flight of the soul. * Fruits — eternal plenty. * G.A.R. Grand Army of the Republic; the Union Army during the War Between the States * Garlands — victory in death. * Geometry compass, in open position, often shown over open book, with letter "G" within angle of compass — Masonic affiliation (Freemasons; Free and Accepted Masons). * Hand of God chopping — sudden death. * Hand with index finger pointing upward — hope for or awareness of heaven, God, eternal destiny. * Handshake, clasped hands — farewell; often shown on spouses' stones. * Harp — praise to God. * Heart — love for the deceased; soul in bliss, or love of Christ. * Hourglass, perhaps with wings of time — swiftness of time; short life. Its use associated with personified figures of Death and Father Time comes out of a long tradition of mortuary symbolism. Rarely used alone; usually appeared along with hearts, stars, leaves and sacred flowering vines. It was also the frequent companion of winged death's-heads and bones. Though the hourglass is commonly thought of as a symbol of passing time, there are actually few gravestones featuring hourglasses. * IHS, occasionally seen as IXC — signifies devotion to Jesus Christ; variously interpreted as an abbreviation for His name as spelled in ancient languages, or of the Latin phrase Iesu Hominum Salvator (Jesus, mankind's Savior). * Imps — mortality. * Ivy — friendship; immortality. * Lamb — innocence, usually on a child's gravestone. * Laurel — fame of victoryOak leaves, acorn — maturity, ripe old age. * Lily, lily of the valley — innocence, purity. * Morning glory — beginning of life. * Open book, Bible — knowledge; possibly, deceased teacher or minister. * Pall, wreath, crepe draping — mourning. * Palm branch — victory and rejoicing. * P. of H. — Patrons of Husbandry; a grange affiliation. * Pitcher (on a Jewish man's gravestone) — signifies a Levite, who was responsible for cleaning the hands of the Temple Priest before he performed his priestly duties. * Poppy — sleep. * Portals — passageway to eternal journey. * Relict: widow. * Rose (full) — prime of life. * Roses — brevity of earthly existence. * Sheaf of wheat, perhaps with scythe — ripe for harvest; divine harvest; time. * Shells — pilgrimage of life. * Soldier on horseback — while some sources state that the following meanings are NOT uniformly intended by the monument craftsman, other sources state that if the horse has both front hoofs in the air, the person died in battle. If one hoof is raised, the person died as a result of wounds; if the horse has all four hoofs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. * Star — guidance for the soul. * Star with letters "O.E.S." between its points — affiliation with the Order of the Eastern Star, a women's group within the Masonic organization. * Stars and Stripes around an eagle — liberty; eternal vigilance. * Sun or rays — the presence of Christ; the sun connotes resurrection. * Thistles — remembrance. * Tombs — mortality. * Torch inverted — life extinguished. * Tree stump, sometimes with ivy — deceased was the head of family; immortality; life cut short. * Trees — life or death, depending on whether they appear alive or felled. * Trumpeters — heralds of the resurrection. * Two hands, palms facing the viewer, with the four fingers on each hand positioned as two sets of two fingers — a Jewish symbol indicating the deceased was a Cohen, a Temple Priest. * Urn with blaze — undying friendship. * Weeping willow, often with urn, tomb, and/or mourner — emblem of sorrow. * Winged effigies — flight of the soul. http://www.karinsprague.com/gravestoneimagery.htm