While visiting a Cemetery we can make a step into a sometimes sumptuous past, but also get its message by simply looking around. So, hereby listed, just some of the many symbols our Ancestors used to communicate with us.
| Alpha & Omega | first and last letter of the Greek Alphabet (AΩ) represent the Beginning and the End |
| Anchor | hope and firmness, eternal life |
| Angel | their mean is connected with what they hold, but generally speaking they symbolize the dead’s escort to Heaven |
| Arch or gate | triumph or victory of life on death |
| Arrow | martyrdom, mortality |
| Bells | worship, day of Judgement |
| Bird | soul flying to Heavens |
| Boat | trip to the other life |
| Bones | death, decay |
| Book | can represent the book of life or the Bible |
| Broken column | broken life, loss of the head of the family |
| Broken flower | premature death |
| Butterfly | rebirth, renovation of live |
| Calla flower | wedding or resurrection |
| Candle | flame: life, snuffed: time passing, mortality |
| Celtic cross | with circle symbolizes eternity |
| Chain | if broken, depicts the death of a member of the family |
| Chair | if vacant, represents the death of a child |
| Cherub | like angel symbolism, usually put on children’s graves |
| Coffins | mortality |
| Column | end of life, sorrow. If broken, generally represents the death of the head of a family |
| Corn | rebirth, fertility |
| Crests | family backgrounds |
| Cross | Christian symbol, salvation |
| Crown | glory, victory |
| Cup | from Christian tradition |
| Daisy | innocence |
| Dog | faithfulness |
| Door | entrance to the Reign of Death |
| Dove | symbol of resurrection and peace |
| Dragon | as defeated by St. George, depicts triumph over sin |
| Drapery | (draping whatever object) mourn or sorrow |
| Eagle | bravery |
| Eye | stays for the holiness of the true God. Alone or in a triangle or within a sunburst (from Egyptian tradition), it’s a Masonic symbol. |
| Fish | faith and Christianity (ΙΧΘΥΣ is the Greek acronym of Jesus Christ Son of God) |
| Flame | eternity |
| Flower bud | death of a child |
| Flower | brevity of life |
| Hands | devotion, pray, farewell, ascension to Heaven (depends on where they point) |
| Heart | braveness, courage, or Religious symbol of Christ’s sufferings if trapped in thorns |
| Horse | Courage |
| Hourglass | time passing |
| Ivy | everlasting fidelity, love or friendship |
| Lamb | Jesus Christ’s sacrifice |
| Laurel | victory and immortality |
| Light | knowledge and truth |
| Lily | purity and innocence (flower associated to the Holy Lady) |
| Lion | Strength and power of God, protects from evil forces and guards the grave |
| Lyre | the end of life (often with a broken string) |
| Moon | crescent :virginity, generally rebirth (connected to moon’s phases) |
| Oak tree or leaves | honour, stability, firmness, eternity |
| Obelisk | eternal life (from Egyptian tradition) |
| Olive branch | (often into a dove’s mouth) means the peace of God |
| Owl | wisdom |
| Palm | resurrection (from Christian tradition) |
| Passion Flower | The Passion of Christ |
| Poppy | symbol of sleep |
| Pyramid | eternity (from Egyptian tradition) |
| Rabbit | humility and self sacrifice |
| Rooster | awakening or vigilance |
| Rose | love, romance, condolence and sorrow |
| Scallop | symbol of the pilgrims, stays for one’s journey on Earth |
| Scroll | the Holy Scriptures |
| Serpent | Life and death (from Egyptian tradition) |
| Shell | Baptism or rebirth |
| Shoes | if empty, they represent the loss of a child |
| Skeleton | death, mortality |
| Sphinx | guardian of eternity (from Egyptian tradition) |
| Star | from Christian tradition, recalls Jesus Christ |
| Sun | setting: death, rising: rebirth |
| Sunflower | Devotion to God |
| Swallow | death of a child during pregnancy |
| Sword | martyrdom |
| Technical objects | to identify the profession of the deceased, e.g. set, square & compass (also Masonic symbols) for architects, sextant for explores etc. |
| Thistle | represents sorrow. Its thorns represent the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ |
| Torch | life (from Greek tradition). If inverted, it stays for extinction |
| Trees or branches | the tree of life |
| Trumpet | resurrection |
| Urn | mourning (from Greek tradition). If draped stays on the grave of an aged person |
| Willow tree | mourning, sorrow |
| Woman weeping | mourning /typically 19th-20th century) |
| Wreath | Victory on death |
Art in Death 