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GRAVEN IMAGES: Gravestone Motifs & Their Meanings

The following list was compiled from several different sources. I welcome additions.

These are a few of many motifs found on gravestones with some of the commonly held interpretations of their symbolism.

Don't forget to visit Grave Symbols - my list of various initials for lodges and organizations, often found on gravestones.

• Anchor/Ships -- Hope or Seafaring profession
• Angel, Flying- Rebirth; Resurrection.
• Angel, Trumpeting- Resurrection.
• Angel, Weeping- Grief and Mourning.
• Arch - Victory in death.
• Arrow- Mortality.
• Bird- Eternal life.
• Bird, Flying- Resurrection.
• Book-Representation of a holy book: i.e. the Bible.
• A pair of Holy Books on Mormom (LDS) headstones indicates the Bibleand Book of Mormon
• Three Holy Books on Mormom headstones indicates the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine & Covenants -- all of which are scripture to the LDS Church.
• Breasts (Gourds, Pomegranates) - Nourishment of the soul; the church.
• Bouquets/Flowers -- Condolences, grief, sorrow
• 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, Darts -- Mortality
• 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.
• Dove- Purity; Devotion.
• Dove, Flying- Resurrection.
• Drapes- Mourning; Mortality.
• Flame or Light- Life; Resurrection.
• Flower- Fragility of life.
• Flower, Severed Stem- Shortened life.
• Flying Birds -- Flight of the Soul
• Fruits -- Eternal plenty
• Full-Blown Rose -- Prime of Life
• Garland or Wreath- Victory in death.
• Grim Reaper- Death personified.
• Hand, Pointing Up- Pathway to heaven; Heavenly reward.
• Hands, Clapsed- The goodbyes said at death.
• Hand of God Chopping -- Sudden Death
• Handshakes -- Farewell
• Harp -- Praise to the Maker
• Heart- Love; Love of God; Abode of the soul; Mortality.
• Horns -- The Resurrection
• Hourglass- Passing of time.
• Hourglass, Flying- Time flies.
• 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.
• Sheaf of Wheat -- Ripe for Harvest, Divine Harvest, Time
• Skull- Mortality.
• Skull/ Crossed Bones- Death.
• Skeleton- Life's brevity.
• Snake (Tail in Mouth)- Everlasting life in heaven.
• Spade- Mortality; Death.
• Stars and Stripes Around Eagle -- Eternal Vigilance, Liberty
• Sun Rising- Renewed life.
• Sun Shining-Life everlasting.
• Sun Setting- Death.
• Thistle- Scottish descent.
• Thistles -- Remembrance
• Tombs -- Mortality
• Torch Inverted -- Life Extinct
• Tree- Life.
• Tree Sprouting- Life everlasting.
• Severed Branch- Mortality.
• Tree Stump- Life interrupted.
• Tree Stump w/Ivy -- Head of Family - Immortality
• Tree Trunk- Brevity of life.
• Tree Trunk Leaning- Short interrupted life.
• Trumpeters -- Heralds of the Resurrection
• Urn- Immortality (ancient Egyptian belief that life would be restored in the future through the vital organs placed in the urn).
• Urn with /Wreath or Crepe -- Mourning
• Urn with Blaze -- Undying Friendship
• Weeping Willow Tree- Mourning; Grief; Nature's lament.
• Willows -- Earthly Sorrow
• Winged Face- Effigy of the deceased soul; the soul in flight.
• Winged Skull- Flight of the soul from mortal man.
• Wreath- Victory.
• Wreath on Skull- Victory of death over life.
• Wheat Strands or Sheaves- The divine harvest.