What Do the Symbols on the Gravestones Mean?
The iconography of unique cemetery symbols
The Great Awakening that began in the early 18th century witnessed a dramatic shift in the popular notions and rituals surrounding the afterlife. The puritan motifs that tend to feature straightforward images of mortality and death faded and cemeteries began to incorporate classical and Egyptian decorative motifs.
The Victorian culture played a vital role in the gradual transition of American cemeteries and most importantly in the development of the Rural Cemetery Movement. Rural cemeteries became popular in the United States and Europe in the mid-nineteenth century. They were usually built 5–10 miles away from the city hustle but close enough for visitors.
This transition clearly marked a fundamental change in the iconography of cemetery symbols and romanticism became an integral aspect of the cemetery’s emotional and spiritual function amongst the living.
The Laura Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, USA is a classic example of a rural cemetery that is adorned with symbols on the gravestones. This became the first cemetery in the United States to be designated a National Historic Landmark.
But have you ever pondered the meaning behind these symbols on the gravestones? This article will take you…
