Urn

Immortality symbol Urns were used to keep the soul as it traveled into the afterlife in Ancient Greece and Egypt. Urns housing a pharaoh’s vital organs were buried with him. They thought that in the afterlife, the individual who died would return whole and would require their critical organs. Urns were then used to represent … Read more

Broken Column

Symbol of impending death. The purposely fractured columns represented a life cut short. A girl who died before reaching womanhood was likewise depicted by a shattered rosebud. Something that has come to an end is represented by a broken column or link. The person’s life was cut short far too soon, despite the fact that … Read more

Obelisks

Ra’s symbol, royalty, and connection. Many graveyards, including those from Ancient Egypt, have obelisks. Obelisks were the sun god Ra’s solidified rays. They symbolized the Sun God’s residence. As a symbol of royalty, persons in eighteenth-century England desired to be buried with an obelisk on their grave. The obelisk later came to symbolize a link … Read more

Tree

Eternity, connection, and longevity are all represented by this symbol.The tree represents life and eternity. It is the link between the underworld and the skies. Tree symbolism has been discovered on gravestones dating back to ancient times. Muslims place trees on graves to make the deceased feel closer to their god. The baobab tree is … Read more

Sun

On gravestones, the sun is a symbol of death and rebirth. Prior to the eighteenth century, most graves in Europe faced the rising sun. A gravestone with a sun emblem can represent the end of life as well as the afterlife or rebirth. The sun was one of the key emblems of rebirth for many … Read more

Snake

Symbol of eternity, power, wisdom, medicine, healing, eloquence. Snakes on gravestones can represent a variety of things. The Ouroboros emblem of a snake eating its own tail was a symbol of life and death in ancient Egypt. On a gravestone, a circle snake signified eternity. A snake entwined with another could symbolize strength and wisdom. … Read more

Hourglass

Symbol of death, time. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, gravestones frequently included an hourglass sign. The passing of time on Earth was depicted by a simple hourglass. The ephemeral nature of time was symbolized by an hourglass with wings. Passers-by were encouraged to grab the day and enjoy life to the fullest. It could … Read more

Cherubs

Symbol of protection and regeneration. The winged skull found on Puritan gravestones evolved into a cherub emblem on a headstone. It symbolizes the soul’s rebirth in the afterlife. Before the seventeenth century, cherubs were also featured on children’s gravestones. They signify an angel guarding the soul of the infant on its journey to paradise.

Flaming Torch

Mourning, death, life, knowledge, and divinity are all represented by this symbol. The flaming torch can be found in several graveyards. A crossed torch on a headstone symbolized sadness in ancient Rome and Greece. Inverted torches symbolise death, whereas upright torches represent life. On a gravestone, torches can also represent the light of knowledge. A … Read more

Rock

Anchors and a marking symbol. A person may notice rocks on some Jewish gravestones. They are set on top of the burial monument rather than written in it. Some believe they are reminiscent of the period when gravestones were marked by mounds of stones. People would carry a rock to replace a stone because it … Read more