[Someone requested info on carvings on gravestones, must have deleted in error. So, am posting to entire mailing list. Sally] Cemetery Iconography - George G. Morgan 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. Happy hunting! George Copyright 1999 George G. Morgan. All Rights reserved. "Along Those Lines . . ." is a weekly feature of the Genealogy Forum on America Online (Keyword: ROOTS). The article originally appeared in the Genealogy Forum on America Online. You may send e-mail to alonglines@aol.com. George Morgan would like to hear from you but, because of the volume of e-mail, is unable to personally respond to each letter individually. He also regrets that he cannot assist you with your personal genealogical research. Visit George Morgan's new Web page at: http://members.aol.com/alonglines. George is also the author of The Genealogy Forum on America Online, which is available in the Ancestry Online Store at: http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog/ product.asp?pf%5Fid=1101046&dept%5Fid=10102000.