Did you know that tombstone carvings/symbols have certain meanings to them?
Here is a list of common carvings/symbols and their meanings:
Taken from Michigan Traveler Number 146 October 2004:
Anchor/Ships
Hope, the cross, or a mariner/member of the navy
Angels
Messengers and attendants of God
Acorn
Fertility and life, strength<
Arches
Door to salvation, journey to heaven
Arrows
Mortality, death, hunting or military profession(if with other weapons)
Bed
Visual denial of death; not dead, but resting
Bird
Eternal life
Bird flying
Resurrection, flight of the soul
Book open
Teacher, wisdom
Bible open
Minister
Bouquets/flowers
Condolences, grief, sorrow
Broken column
Loss of head of family
Bugles
Resurrection or military
Butterfly
Short lived, early death
Calla lily
Marriage, fidelity
Candle being snuffed
Time, mortality
Chain
Earthly existence, broken chain for end of Earthly exsistance, three links for International Order of Oddfellows
Cherub
Angelic, usually on children's stones
Circle
Eternity, never-ending existence, eternal union
Crossed Swords
High ranking military person
Daisy
Innocence of the Christ Child, children, young people, or a young beautiful woman
Eagle
Christian soul strengthened by grace, nationalism, military profession
Elk
Membership in Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks
Gate
Death, heaven
Grapes
Blood of Christ
Hands
Shaking hands mean farewll, male and female represent union of marriage, hand of God chopping means sudden death
Hourglass
Swiftnes of time;life is short
Iris
Death, afterlife
Ivy
Friendship and immortality
Lamb
Innocence, gentleness, often found on children's graves, devout Christian if found on adult's
Lily or Lily of the Valley
Emblem of Innocence and purity
Log
Part of the "rustic" movement, Woodsmen of the World Symbol
Musical Instruments
Heavenly music, musician
Oak leaves
Maturity, ripe old age, strength
Palm branches
Signifies victory and rejoicing
Picks and Shovels
Mortality
Pinecone
Fertility and regeneration
Poppy
Sleep
Portals
Passageways to eternal life
Rings broken
Family circle severed
Rope
Binding together, usually through a fraternal organization
Rose bud
Morning of life, renewal of life
Rose fully opened
Prime of life
Roses
Bervity of earthly life, immortal love, death of a child or young woman, motherhood, Virgin Mary
Shells
Pilgrimage of life
Star
Christ, divine guidance, Eastern Star organization emblem
Stars and Stripes on Eagle
Eternal vigilance, liberty
Sun
Resurrection, heavenly light
Swords
Military profession; points down means death during military service, crossed swords represent ranking military person
Thistles
Rememberance
Tombs
Mortality
Torch
Life and truth, often war commemoration
Torch inverted
Life extinct
Tree stump with Ivy
Head of family, immortality
Urn with blaze
Undying friendship
Urn with wreath/crepe
Mourning
Vine
Marriage, fertility, family
Weeping willow
Emblem of sorrow
Wheat sheaf
Ripe for harvest, divine harvest , time
Willow
Earthly sorrow
Winged Effigies
Flight of the soul
