Symbols on Gravestones and Their Interpretations

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A list of some of the most commonly seen tombstone symbols. Learn the meanings of the various carvings, symbols, icons and other funerary art found on gravestones, tombstones and headstones.

- ANIMALS -

• ANT : Christian industry
• BATS (rare): the underworld
• BEE : resurrection. risen Christ; chastity
• BIRDS : souls
• BIRDS FLYING : flight of the soul back to God
• BUTTERFLY : resurrection; Christian metamorphosis
• CHRYSALIS : Christian metamorphosis; resurrection
• COCK : vigilance; St. Peter
• DOVE DESCENDING : holy ghost
• DOVE : peace; innocence; purity (7 doves-holy spirit); messenger of God carrying soul to heaven
• EAGLE: fierceness; ascension: the heavenly conveyor, national emblem of the United States: the military professional, Civil War casualties
• EAGLE WINGED: St. John, the Evangelist
• EGG: regeneration
• FISH: Christ; plentifulness
• FOX: cruelty; cunning
• FROG: resurrection
• HART (deer): the faithful thirsting for God
• LAMB: Christ; Redeemer; meekness: sacrifice; child; innocence; most common 19th century child'smarker
• LAMB WITH BANNER: resurrection
• LION: strength; courage; royalty; power; guardian; fallen hero
• LION WINGED: St. Mark the Evangelist
• OX WINGED: St. Luke the Evangelist
• PEACOCK: immortality; eternity; resurrection; incorruptibility of the flesh
• PELICAN: feeds young with own blood; redemption through Christ
• PHOENIX: immortality; baptism
• RAM: sacrifice
• ROOSTER: the awakening from the fall from grace; repentance
• SHEEP & GOATS: Christians and non-believers
• SERPENT: symbol of death
• SNAKE: sin; Satan; fall of man
• SNAKE HOOPED: eternity
• SNAKE WITH TAIL IN MOUTH: eternity; unity
• SPHINX: lion represents strength and protection; used to guard entrances
• SQUIRREL: Christian forethought; spiritual striving
• STAG: same as hart

- FIGURES -

• ANGEL: messenger between God & man; guide
• ANGEL FLYING: rebirth; guardian angel
• ANGEL TRUMPETING: call to the resurrection
• ANGEL WEEPING: grief
• BREASTS: the Divine, nourishing fluid of the soul (17th century); the church; the ministry; the nourishment of the soul
• CHILD SLEEPING: Victorian death motif
• DEATH'S HEAD WINGED: mortality
• EFFIGES: the soul
• EFFIGES CROWNED: personal reward of righteousness
• EFFIGES WINGED: the flight of the soul
• FATHER TIME: mortality, the grim reaper
• FOUR EVANGELISTS: Matthew, winged man; Mark, winged lion; Luke, winged ox; John, winged eagle
• HAND OF GOD: pointing downward-mortality, sudden death
• HAND OF GOD: pointing upward-the reward of the righteous; confirmation of life after death
• HANDS: devotion, prayer
• HANDSHAKES: farewell to earthly existence
• HANDS CLASPED: in death as in life, the devotion of these two is not destroyed
• IMPS: figures, some winged, some not, doing funeral related tasks; mortality
• MAN, WINGED: St. Matthew the Evangelist
• TRUMPETERS: heralds of the resurrection
• WOMAN WEEPING: mourning; recalls myth of Niobe, whom the gods turned to stone as she wept for her slain children

- LATIN PHRASES -

• FUGIT HORA: "hours are fleeting", "time flies"
• IHS: monogram or symbol representing the Greek contraction of "Jesus": sometimes regarded as an abbreviation of the Latin phrase meaning "Jesus, Savior of Men"
• INRI: often seen on a banner of latin cross: "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum". Latin for Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews (John 12: 19-22)
• MEMENTO MORI: "remember death"
• TEMPUS ERAT: "time is gone"; "time has run out"
• XP: Chi Rho-first two Greek letters of the word "Christ"

- OBJECTS -

• ALPHA & OMEGA: first and last letters of the Greek alphabet symbolizing the beginning & end of all things, see Revelation 22:13
• ANCHOR: hope, life eternal; may signify seafaring profession
• ANVIL: martyrdom
• ARCH: triumph, victory in death
• ARK: church; salvation
• ARK OF NOAH (rare): refuge, salvation
• ARMOR: protection from evil
• ARROW: martyrdom, mortality
• ARROW QUIVER: warlike
• BANNER: victory; triumph
• BATTLE AXE: martyrdom
• BELLS: call to worship
• BIBLES: resurrection through the scripture; the clergy
• BOOK: Bible; wisdom
• BOOKS STACKED: knowledge
• BRANCH SEVERED: mortality
• BUGLES: resurrection; the military profession
• CANDLE BEING SNUFFED: time, mortality
• CANDLE FLAME: life
• CANDLESTICK: Christ; devotion
• CELTIC CROSS: circle on it symbolizes eternity
• CIRCLE: eternity; or earth
• CLOCK (rare): passage of time, mortality
• CLOUDS: the divine abode
• COATS OF ARMS AND CRESTS: lineage, status
• COFFINS: mortality
• COLUMN BROKEN: sorrow; broken life
• COLUMNS WITH DOORS: heavenly entrance
• CRESCENT MOON: Virgin
• CROSS: salvation
• CROSS WITH RAYS OF RISING SUN: glory
• CROSS WITH WINDING SHEET: descent from cross
• CROWN: reward of faithful, victory, triumph, glory; righteousness; resurrection
• CROWN ON CROSS: sovereignty of Christ
• CROZIER: bishop
• CUP: Eucharist
• DARTS: mortality, dart of death
• DRAPERY OVER ANYTHING: sorrow; mourning
• FIELD ARTILLERY (rare): the military profession
• FINGER: pointing to heaven
• FLAME: eternity
• FLEUR-DE-LIS: Virgin; Trinity
• FLYFOT: swastika
• GARLAND: victory
• PORTALS: passageways to the eternal journey
• PORTRAITS: stylized likenesses of the deceased
• PYRAMID: symbolic of death
• ROCK: steadfastness of Christ; stability
• ROSARY: devotion to Mary
• SCALES: weighing of souls; justice
• SCROLL: the law; Scriptures
• SCYTHE: time, the divine harvest
• SHELL: pilgrimage: baptism of Christ
• SHELL, SCALLOP: pilgrim; pilgrim's journey; resurrection
• SHIP: the Church
• SHIPS' PROFILES: the seafaring profession
• SHRINE: wisdom; knowledge
• SKELETONS: mortality, Death
• SKULL: death; sin
• SKULL, WINGED: flight of the soul from mortal man
• SKULLS AND CROSSBONES: mortality
• STAR: birth-life; Christ
• STAR, FIVE POINTED: Star of Bethlehem; star of Jacob; divine guidance and protection
• STAR, SIX POINTER: the Father, Creation, heavenly wisdom
• SUN: God or Son
• SUN, SETTING: death
• SUN, RISING: resurrection; renewed life
• SUNS, MOONS AND STARS: the reward of the resurrection
• SWORD: martyrdom; courage; warfare
• SWORDS, CROSSED: high ranking military person
• THREE: three points, three leaves, three of any thing-Trinity
• TOMBS: mortality
• TORCH: zeal; enlightenment
• TORCH, INVERTED: extinction of life; death; mourning
• TORCH, UPRIGHT: immortality, liberty, upright life, the scholastic world, the betrayal of Christ
• TRUMPET: day of judgment; resurrection
• URN: soul; mortality
• URN, DRAPED: death, sorrow
• WINGED WHEEL: holy spirit
• YOKE: burden-bearing; service; patience

- TREES & PLANTS -

• ALMOND: favor from God; Virgin birth
• APPLE: sin; Eve
• BELLFLOWER: gratitude
• BOUQUETS: condolences, grief
• BUDS: renewal of life
• CEDAR: strong faith; length of days; success
• CYPRUS: sorrow; death; eternal life, Roman symbol for mourning
• EASTER LILY: modern flower symbolic of resurrection
• EVERGREENS: immortality
• FLOWER: brevity of earthly existence, sorrow; certain flowers may symbolize emotions, particular aspirations, attitudes, both religious and secular
• FLOWER, BROKEN: premature death
• FRUIT: eternal plenty
• FRUIT AND VINE: Jesus Christ; the Christian church
• GOURDS: the coming to be and passing away of all earthly matters
• IVY: abiding memory, friendship, fidelity
• LAUREL: victory, triumph, glory
• LILY, LILIES: resurrection, purity
• LOTUS: Egyptian water lily and ornament
• OAK: supernatural power and strength; eternity
• OLIVE: peace; healing faith
• PALM: spiritual victory over death; martyrdom; reward of the righteous; peace; a plant whose leaves resemble a hand
• PINEAPPLE: hospitality
• POMEGRANATE: immortality; resurrection; unity; nourishment of the soul
• POPPY: symbolic of sleep, therefore, death
• ROSES: condolonce, sorrow; the brevity of earthly existence; of English descent-the Tudor rose
• SHEAVES OF WHEAT: time, the divine harvest
• STRAWBERRY: righteousness; humility
• THISTLE: of Scottish descent; the inevitability of death, remembrance
• TREE: faith; life; the Tree of Life
• TREE, FELLED: mortality
• TREE TRUNK, BROKEN: premature death
• VINE: Christian church; Christ; wine, the symbolic blood of Jesus; the sacraments
• WHEAT SHEAVES: the divine harvest
• WILLOW, WEEPING: grief; death (carried at Masonic funerals); earthly sorrow, the symbolic tree of human sadness, Nature's lament
• WREATH: victory in death, indestructible crown worn by triumphant Christian; eternity
• WREATH WORN BY SKULL: victory of death over life
• YEW: immortality

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