THE MEANING OF GRAVESTONE ENGRAVINGS
Anchor/Ships.................Hope or a Mariner
Arches...........................Victory in Death
Arrows...........................Mortality
Bird................................Eternal Life
Bird flying.......................Resurrection
Book open.....................Teacher
Bible open.....................Minister
Bouquets flowers..........Condolences, grief, sorrow
Broken column...............Loss of Head of family
Bugles...........................Resurrection, or Military
Butterfly........................Short lived, Early death
Candle being snuffed.............Time, Mortality
Cherub..........................Angelic
Corn..............................Ripe old age
Cross............................Emblem of faith
Crossed swords...................High ranking military person
Darts or Coffin..................Father time Gentleness, Affection, Purity
Flying birds ....................Flight of the soul
Fruit............................Eternal plenty
Garlands.........................Victory in death
Hands shaking....................Farewell
Harp.............................Praise to the Maker
Hearts...........................Soul in bliss or love of Christ
Horns............................The Resurrection
Hourglass........................Swiftness of time
Hand of God Chopping.............Sudden Death
Hourglass with wings.............Time flying, short life
Imps.............................Mortality
Ivy..............................Friendship and Immortality
Lamb.............................Innocence
Laurel...........................Fame or Victory
Lily or lily of Valley...........Emblem of Innocence and purity
Morning glory....................Beginning of life
Oak leaves & acorn...............Maturity, and ripe old age
Palm branches....................Signifies Victory and rejoicing
Picks & Shovels..................Mortality
Poppy............................Sleep
Portals..........................Passageway to eternal life
Rings broken.....................family circle severed
Rose bud.........................Morning of life, renewal of life
Rose fully opened................Prime of life
Roses............................Brevity of earthly life
Shells...........................Pilgrimage of life
Stars & stripes on eagle.........Eternal vigilance liberty
Thistles.........................Remembrance
Tombs............................Mortality
Torch Inverted...................Life extinct
Tree Stump with ivy..............Head of family Immortality
Trees............................Life
Trumpeters.......................Heralds of the resurrection
Urn with Blaze...................Undying friendship
Urn with wreath/crepe............Mourning
Weeping willow...................Emblem of sorrow
Wheat sheaf......................Ripe for harvest, divine harvest, time
Willows..........................Earthly sorrow
Winged Effigies..................Flight of the soul
