Headstone Meanings
Headstone Meanings
Ever wonder what, or if, those fancy embellishments
on headstones represented?
Below is a compilation of some of the meanings.
| Anchor/Ships Hope or seafaring profession Angel, Flying Rebirth; resurrection Angel, Trumpeting Resurrection Angel, Weeping Grief & mourning Arches Victory in death Arrow Mortality Bird, Flying Resurrection Bird Eternal life Book Representation of a holy book Bouquets/Flowers Condolences, grief, sorrow Breasts (Gourds, Pomegranates) Nourishment of the soul; the church Broken Column Loss of head of family Broken Ring Family circle severed Buds/Rosebud Morning of life or renewal of life Bugles Resurrection and the military Butterfly Short-lived; early death Candle Being Snuffed Time, mortality Cherub Angelic Coffin Father time, picks/shovels Columns and Doors Heavenly entrance Corn Ripe old age Cross Emblem of faith Crossed Swords High-ranking military person Crown Glory of life after death Cup or Chalice The sacraments Darts Mortality Dove Innocence, gentleness, affection, purity, resurrection Drapes Mourning; mortality Flame or Light Life; resurrection Flower, Severed Stem Shortened life, fragility of life Flying Birds Flight of the soul Fruits Eternal plenty Full-Bloom Rose Prime of life Garland or Wreath Victory in death Grim Reaper Death personified Hand of God Chopping Sudden death Hand, Pointing Up Pathway to heaven; heavenly reward Hands, Clasped The good-byes said at death Handshakes Farewell Harp Praise to the maker Heart Love; love of God, mortality Hearts Soul in bliss or love of Christ Horns The resurrection Hourglass W/Wings of Time Time flying; short life Hourglass Swiftness of time Imps Mortality Ivy Friendship and immortality Lamb Innocence Laurel Fame or victory Lily or Lily of Valley Emblem of innocence and purity |
Lion Courage; the lion of Judah Morning Glory Beginning of life Oak Leaves and Acorn Maturity, ripe old age Open Book/ Bible Deceased teacher, minister, etc. Pall Mortality Palm Branch Signifies victory and rejoicing Pick Death; mortality Poppy Sleep Portals Passageway to eternal journey Rod or Staff Comfort for the bereaved Rooster Awakening; resurrection Roses Brevity of earthly existence Scythe Death; the divine harvest Seashell Resurrection; life everlasting; life's pilgrimage Severed Branch Mortality Sheaf of Wheat Ripe for harvest, divine harvest Shells Pilgrimage of life Skeleton Life's brevity Skull/Crossed Bones Death Skull Mortality Snake (Tail In Mouth) Everlasting life in heaven Spade Mortality; death Stars & Stripes Around Eagle Eternal vigilance, liberty Sun Rising Renewed life Sun Setting Death Sun Shining Life everlasting Thistle Scottish descent Thistles Remembrance Tombs Mortality Torch Inverted Life extinct Tree Sprouting Life everlasting Tree Stump W/Ivy Head of family; immortality Tree Stump Life interrupted Tree Trunk Leaning Short interrupted life Tree Trunk Brevity of life Tree Life Trumpeters Heralds of the resurrection Urn With /Wreath or Crepe Mourning Urn With Blaze Undying friendship Urn Immortality Weeping Willow Tree Mourning; grief; nature's lament Wheat Strands or Sheaves The divine harvest Willows Earthly sorrow Winged Effigies Flight of the soul Winged Face Effigy of the deceased soul Winged Skull Flight of the soul from mortal man Wreath on Skull Victory of death over life Wreath Victory |
