Monthly Archives: March 2012

The Harp

Posted on March 31, 2012 by

The light and airy tones that emanate from the harp, etereal and almost mystical, have long been thought of as the sound of Heaven.  The harp has been considered the instrument of angels.

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The Dragon

Posted on March 30, 2012 by

The mythical creature–the dragon–has figured large in literature, movies, and culture, most especially in Eastern cultures.  The view of the dragon between the East and the West could hardly be more polar opposite.  In Western cutlure, the dragon for the … Continue reading →

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Heart-in-Hand

Posted on March 30, 2012 by

When I walk around cemeteries, I look for symbols I have not seen and, of course, stellar examples of funerary art.  I have written before about the the Heart-in-Heart symbol but was struck by the pristine condition of the symbol found … Continue reading →

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Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum

Posted on March 28, 2012 by

The crown with the initials V. M C. is a symbol representing the Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum, a membership organization founded by John A. Cummings and Dr. Darius Wilson in Boston on June 23, 1877.  The State of … Continue reading →

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KP

Posted on March 27, 2012 by

The Knights of Pythias, a society based on the Greek story of friendship from 400 B. C. between Damon and Pythias, became the very first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an Act of the United States Congress. Pythians … Continue reading →

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PS

Posted on March 27, 2012 by

The symbol above marks the grave of a woman who belonged to the Order of Pythian Sisters.  The organization is the auxillary organization for the Knights of Pythias.  On October 22-23, 1888, the Order was founded at Warsaw, Indiana, by Pythian … Continue reading →

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Horseback Evangelism

Posted on March 25, 2012 by

The metal marker affixed to the gravestone shows a minister riding a horse.  The image is an appropriate one, especially for the Methodist clergy.  While many denominations had circuit riding ministers during the settlement of the Frontier, no single church … Continue reading →

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Another Squirrel

Posted on March 23, 2012 by

Even though, they are considered rare, I have come across more squirrels displayed on gravestones, since I first wrote about the image as a funerary symbol.  The carving in the photo above is found in a rural cemetery in Greene County, Indiana.  … Continue reading →

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The Tasty Morel

Posted on March 21, 2012 by

The word morel comes from the Latin word maurus meaning brown and refers to edible mushrooms from the genus Morchella.  Around the country, Morel mushrooms are called many names—molly moochers, dryland fish, sponge mushrooms, hickory chickens, merkels, and miracles—but whatever you … Continue reading →

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Improved Order of Redmen

Posted on March 20, 2012 by

The metal marker above marks the grave of a member of the Improved Order of Redmen, which claims its beginnings with the patriots who were in the Sons of Liberty during the American Revolution.  The society models itself after the … Continue reading →

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