Monthly Archives: December 2013

Spheres

Posted on December 30, 2013 by gravelyspeaking

Like many motifs found in the cemetery, sources vary on the meaning or, if, in fact, there is any meaning at all.  The sphere is certainly one of the motifs found in the cemetery where there is a fair amount … Continue reading →

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Victorian angels

Posted on December 27, 2013 by gravelyspeaking

  Victorians used many flowers in their funeral practices.  The body lay in state in the parlor of a home as long as four days, often without the benefit of being embalmed.  To cover the odors, Victorians filled the parlor … Continue reading →

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Corn Stalk

Posted on December 25, 2013 by gravelyspeaking

  A stalk of corn is carved into the Bone Family gravestone in the Walnut Hill Cemetery at Council Bluffs, Iowa. Corn is an ancient American crop that has been exported to all corners of the world.  More than 300,000 million … Continue reading →

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The Bigelow Sphinx

Posted on December 18, 2013 by gravelyspeaking

A large sphinx sets across the grass circle from the Gothic chapel in the Mount Auburn Cemetery at Cambridge, Massachusetts.  The statue, sculpted by Martin Milmore, is a massive eight feet tall and fifteen feet long. Carved into the sides … Continue reading →

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The Confederate Memorial Pyramid

Posted on December 6, 2013 by gravelyspeaking

After the French and British occupations of Egypt, there was a renewed interest in Egyptian architecture and symbolism.  That Egyptian Revival was never more evident than in America’s cemeteries, especially large garden cemeteries.  The Egyptian symbol that is most commonly … Continue reading →

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