Someone sent me this last week. (You'll find anchor under "Things.") Hope it helps. I thought others on the list might find it interesting also. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Lori Camper campers@iname.com Diggin' up: Camper/Kemper, Clevenger, Crofut, Holloway, King, Wood, Yarbrough My Genealogy Site: http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/c/a/m/Lori-L-Camper My Geocities Site: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/9878/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- >SYMBOLS ON GRAVESTONES AND THEIR INTERPRETATIONS > >ANIMALS >Ant-Christian industry >Bats (rare)-the underworld >Bee-resurrection. risen Christ; chastity >Birds-souls >Birds, flying-flight of the soul back to God >Butterfly-resurrection; Christian metamorphosis >Chrysalis-Christian metamorphosis; resurrection >Cock-vigilance; St. Peter >Descending dove-holy ghost >Dove-peace; innocence; purity (7 doves-holy spirit); messenger of >God carrying soul to heaven >Eagle-fierceness; ascension: the heavenly conveyor, national emblem of the >United States: the military professional, Civil War casualties >Eagle, winged-St. John, the Evangelist >Egg-regeneration >Fish-Christ; plentifulness >Fox-cruelty; cunning >Frog-resurrection >Hart-the faithful thirsting for God >Lamb-Christ; Redeemer; meekness: sacrifice; child; innocence; most common >19th century child's marker >Lamb with banner-resurrection >Lion-strength; courage; royalty; power; guardian; fallen hero >Lion, winged-St. Mark the Evangelist >Ox, winged-St. Luke the Evangelist >Peacock-immortality; eternity; resurrection; incorruptibility of the flesh >Pelican-feeds young with own blood; redemption through Christ >Phoenix-immortality; baptism >Ram-sacrifice >Rooster-the awakening from the fall from grace; repentance >Sheep & goats-Christians and non-believers >Serpent-symbol of death >Snake-sin; Satan; fall of man >Snake, hooped-eternity >Snake with tail in mouth-eternity; unity >Sphinx-lion represents strength and protection; used to guard entrances >Squirrel-Christian forethought; spiritual striving >Stag-same as hart > >FIGURES >Angel-messenger between God & man; guide >Angel, flying-rebirth; guardian angel >Angel, trumpeting-call to the resurrection >Angel, weeping-grief >Breasts-the Divine, nourishing fluid of the soul (17th century); the >church; >the ministry; the nourishment of the soul >Child, sleeping-Victorian death motif >Death's head, winged-mortality >Effigies-the soul >Effigies, crowned-personal reward of righteousness >Effigies, winged-the flight of the soul >Father Time-mortality, the grim reaper >Four Evangelists-Matthew, winged man; Mark, winged lion; Luke, winged ox; >John, winged eagle >Hand of God, pointing downward-mortality, sudden death >Hand of God, pointing upward-the reward of the righteous; confirmation of >life after death >Hands-devotion, prayer >Handshakes-farewell to earthly existence >Hands clasped-in death as in life, the devotion of these two is not >destroyed >Imps-figures, some winged, some not, doing funeral related tasks; mortality >Man, winged-St. Matthew the Evangelist >Trumpeters-heralds of the resurrection >Woman, weeping-mourning; recalls myth of Niobe, whom the gods turned to >stone as she wept for her slain children > >LATIN PHRASES >Fugit hora-"hours are fleeting", "time flies" >IHS-monogram or symbol representing the Greek contraction of "Jesus": >sometimes regarded as an abbreviation of the Latin phrase meaning "Jesus, >Savior of Men" >INRI-often seen on a banner of latin cross: "Iesus Nazarenus Rex >Iudaeorum". >Latin for Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews(John 12:19-22) >Memento mori-"remember death" >Tempus erat-"time is gone"; "time has run out" >XP-Chi Rho-first two Greek letters of the word "Christ" > >THINGS >Alpha & Omega-first and last letters of the Greek alphabet symbolizing the >beginning & end of all things, see Revelation 22:13 >Anchor-hope, life eternal; may signify seafaring profession >Anvil-martyrdom >Arch-triumph, victory in death >Ark-church; salvation >Ark of Noah (rare)-refuge, salvation >Armor-protection from evil >Arrow-martyrdom, mortality >Arrow, quiver of-warlike >Banner-victory; triumph >Battle-axe-martyrdom >Bells-call to worship >Bibles-resurrection through the scripture; the clergy >Book-Bible; wisdom >Books, stacked-knowledge >Branch, severed-mortality >Bugles-resurrection; the military profession >Candle being snuffed-time, mortality >Candle flame-life >Candlestick-Christ; devotion >Celtic cross-circle on it symbolizes eternity >Circle-eternity; or earth >Clock, (rare)-passage of time, mortality >Clouds-the divine abode >Coats of arms and crests-lineage, status >Coffins-mortality >Column, broken-sorrow; broken life >Columns, doors-heavenly entrance >Crescent moon-Virgin >Cross-salvation >Cross with rays of rising sun-glory >Cross with winding sheet-descent from cross >Crown-reward of faithful, victory, triumph, glory; righteousness; >resurrection >Crown on cross-sovereignty of Christ >Crozier-bishop >Cup-Eucharist >Darts-mortality, dart of death >Drapery over anything-sorrow; mourning >Field artillery (rare)-the military profession >Finger-pointing to heaven >Flame-eternity >Fleur-de-lis-Virgin; Trinity >Flyfot-swastika >Garlands-victory in death >Gate-death of departure from life; entrance to heaven >Globe, winged-disk is symbolic of Creator, wings represent 'God over all' >Harp or lyre-heavenly music; joy; associated with David and the Psalms, St. >Cecilia, patron saint of musicians, poets and poetry, is the emblem of >Ireland >Heart-charity; the soul in bliss, the abode of the soul; love of Christ >Heart with anchor & cross-faith, hope & charity >Horns-resurrection >Hourglass, winged-swift passage in earthly time >Incense-worship; prayer; adoration >Keys, crossed-St. Peter; >Ladder-Passion; Jacob; aspiration >Lamp-Word of God; truth; knowledge, good works >Lance-martyrdom >Muskets (rare)-military profession, a professional huntsman >Nimbus-circle or disk around arms of cross; crown of thorns; eternity >Orbs, as celestial bodies-the reward of the resurrection >Orbs, as effigies-the soul >Pallbearers-mortality >Palls-mortality >Picks and shovels-mortality >Portals-passageways to the eternal journey >Portraits-stylized likenesses of the deceased >Pyramid-symbolic of death >Rock-steadfastness of Christ; stability >Rosary-devotion to Mary >Scales-weighing of souls; justice >Scroll-the law; Scriptures >Scythe-time, the divine harvest >Shell-pilgrimage: baptism of Christ >Shell, scallop-pilgrim; pilgrim's journey; resurrection >Ship-the Church >Ships' profiles-the seafaring profession >Shrine-wisdom; knowledge >Skeletons-mortality, Death >Skull-death; sin >Skull, winged-flight of the soul from mortal man >Skulls and crossbones-mortality >Star-birth-life; Christ >Star, five pointed-Star of Bethlehem; star of Jacob; divine guidance and >protection >Star, six pointed-the Father, Creation, heavenly wisdom >Sun-God or Son >Sun, setting-death >Sun, rising-resurrection; renewed life >Suns, moons and stars-the reward of the resurrection >Sword-martyrdom; courage; warfare >Swords, crossed-high ranking military person >Three points, three leaves, three of any thing-Trinity >Tombs-mortality >Torch-zeal; enlightenment >Torch, inverted-extinction of life; death; mourning >Torch, upright-immortality, liberty, upright life, the scholastic world, >the >betrayal of Christ >Trumpet-day of judgment; resurrection >Urn-soul; mortality >Urn, draped-death, sorrow >Winged wheel-holy spirit >Yoke-burden-bearing; service; patience > > -----Original Message----- From: FloCox@aol.com <FloCox@aol.com> To: VABOTETO-L@rootsweb.com <VABOTETO-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Saturday, August 01, 1998 3:18 PM Subject: carved in stone Hi all, Another question: My John Kefauver, buried in Goodview Cem (#1220) Has a stone headstone and behind it is a field stone, which my Mother says means that he was a settler on the land. Does anyone know if this is the true meaning of a field stone being placed right behind a headstone? Also, carved on his stone is a hand holding an anchor and wheat on both sides of it. What does the hand holding the anchor stand for and what does the wheat stand for? I assume the wheat is for being a farmer. Thanks in advance, Flo You all are always so helpful. ==== VABOTETO Mailing List ==== When replying to a posted message, make a conscious decision whether the reply should go to the list, or privately to the originator.