Monthly Archives: January 2018

Continuation of Snake Week – Caduceus

Posted on January 31, 2018 by gravelyspeaking

The caduceus is a symbol comprised of two snakes twining around a rod surmounted with wings.  Its history can be traced back to ancient Greece.  The Greeks recognized the caduceus as the symbol of Hermes (in Roman mythology it was … Continue reading →

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The Rod of Asclepius

Posted on January 29, 2018 by gravelyspeaking

Not all snakes found on gravestones in cemeteries are bad or represent Satan and sin.  In Greek mythology, for instance, Asclepius was the god associated with healing.  The symbol of the god was a snake coiled around a staff. The … Continue reading →

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The Snake

Posted on January 28, 2018 by gravelyspeaking

In one of the most told and retold stories from the Bible, the snake became associated with the fall of man when he whispered in Eve’s ear and encouraged her to eat from the Tree of Life while Adam and … Continue reading →

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Sheathed Sword

Posted on January 27, 2018 by gravelyspeaking

CHARLES F. TAGGART MAJOR 2ND PENN. CAVALRY DIED OCT. 24, 1863 FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED AT BEALETON STATION, VA. The segmented-top white marble gravestone that marks Major Charles Taggart’s grave is imbued with symbolism.  Draped over the top of the gravestone … Continue reading →

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Inverted Sword

Posted on January 23, 2018 by gravelyspeaking

Owen F. Solomon 1829 – September 27, 1859 Carved atop a shaft of white marble rests a pillow with the hat of a soldier.  There are four symbols on this monument: the soldier’s hat, a sword, the laurel wreath, and … Continue reading →

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Crossed Swords

Posted on January 22, 2018 by gravelyspeaking

MAURICE E. FAGAN LIEUT. COLONEL 19TH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY FEBRUARY 4, 1863 IN LOVING REMBRANCE OF MY BROTHER Lieutenant Colonel Maurice E. Fagan’s segmented-top white marble gravestone features a banner hanging from a rifle.  In the center the banner, two swords … Continue reading →

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Sons and Daughters

Posted on January 21, 2018 by gravelyspeaking

Many organizations were founded in the later part of the 19th Century that required the prospective members demonstrate that their ancestors had been in the United States before a certain date or that their ancestors had served in a war.  … Continue reading →

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The Ubiquitous Urn

Posted on January 16, 2018 by gravelyspeaking

According to James Deetz and Edwin S. Dethlefsen, in their groundbreaking article, “Death’s Head, Cherub, Urn and Willow” the willow first made its appearance in cemeteries in the early 18th century.  The motif represented a break from the stark and … Continue reading →

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Variations

Posted on January 13, 2018 by gravelyspeaking

The Adolph Zang monument is a variation of the previous monuments found in Muncie, Brooklyn, and Colma, with the design being featured in the Dodds Granite Company catalog.  For one thing, the exedra is gone from this monument–only the monolith … Continue reading →

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Dodds Granite Company, Muncie, Brooklyn, and Colma

Posted on January 9, 2018 by gravelyspeaking

JOHN EDGAR JOHNSON SR. AUGUST 16, 1873 MARCH 30, 1919 The John Edgar Johnson Sr. monument in the Beach Grove Cemetery in Muncie, Indiana,is described and pictured in the Dodds Granite Company catalog.  The advertising copy described the monument: “There … Continue reading →

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