I took a few photos of gravestones with interesting artwork and then looked up the meaning of the gravestone symbols.
A handshake represents a farewell to earthly existence and God's welcome into heaven.
The hand with a finger pointing upward symbolizes that the soul has gone to the heavens.
There was quite a bit of controversy over this grave in Whitefield, NH with a finger pointing downward.
However, research of grave symbolism shows the hand coming from above symbolizes God reaching down from heaven.
This is one of my favorite stones in Bennington, Vermont which reads "O! Relentlefs Death!"
Winged heads on gravestones were popular in America in the 17th and early 18th centuries.
The Weeping Willow symbolizes immortality. This was one of the most used symbols of the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
...and how sad, the husband and wife in Lancaster, NH who were buried beside each other for eternity...little did they know a tree would grow between them.
17 comments:
I find cemeteries wonderful, actually.
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
This post was fascinating. I loved learning what the symbols meant. I have always loved weeping willows. I often see them in burial grounds. Such a great post!
I've always found funerary art interesting also. Didn't know the meaning of the hand before. Thanks.
wow. these are really interesting! and thanks for the facts on the symbols as well. :)
This is very interesting. The finger pointing up and down amazes me but I am more amazed of the last photo.
ABC Wed
Pretty insightful. Thanks!
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Not an odd fancy at all. Cemeteries are amazing respositories of a community's history and culture. And I too take photos while there.
HelenMac
ABC Team
I love cemeteries and gravestones too.
The hand coming down does look more as if it is pointing than reaching out though.
That was really interesting...Thanks
These are all interesting headstones. I like to wander in old cemeteries.
Fascinating F post, your Funerary art! The last shot is Funny!
Ruta, you know I LOVE cemeteries as well, you've seen my blog. It's very fun to stroll them on a blustery fall day, that's my favorite time. I loved seeing the one in Lancaster. I used to show horses at the Lancaster Fair and an annual show they had in June, which we always called "The June Show", in my youth. Fun stuff! ~Vonnie
Beautiful frame with a nice depth with great shades of gray. Exquisite and very sharp focus.
I'm always on the lookout for old cemeteries.
(thanks for sharing that article - that is SO me... pains my heart to see the ponds dry up - and i know our area is better off than some further south...)
It is so scary...I hope you get some rain soon.
This is very interesting. TNow I want to check out the tombstones in the old cemeteries here. Funerary art is a new idea for me.
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