Category Archives: Symbolism

The Crucifixion

Posted on April 22, 2011 by gravelyspeaking

The crucifixion is the most important symbol in Christianity, ususally found in Catholic cemeteries.

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Symbols of the Passion of Christ

Posted on April 21, 2011 by gravelyspeaking

Many, perhaps, most of the symbols found in our cemeteries are religious.  The motif above displays three nails encircled by a Crown of Thorns.  The Crown of Thorns depict the crown that Jesus Christ wore as He was mocked as … Continue reading →

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Lamb

Posted on April 17, 2011 by gravelyspeaking

  The lamb is the symbol of the Lord, the Good Shepherd.  It also represents innocence, likely the reason why this motif usually adorns the tombstones of infants and young children.  Most often the lamb is lying down, often asleep and sometimes with a … Continue reading →

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Eternal Silence

Posted on April 17, 2011 by gravelyspeaking

Lorado Taft was one of the premier sculptors of his day.  He was a widely published scholar on the topic and his work was highly sought after.  He was commissioned to produce many public works including the The Soldier’s Monument … Continue reading →

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Door Number One

Posted on April 6, 2011 by gravelyspeaking

When I was a kid there was a game show on telelvision called Let’s Make a Deal hosted by Monte Hall.  The game revolved around the contestants wagering that the prize they had in their hand was not as good … Continue reading →

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Egyptian Revival, Part 3

Posted on April 3, 2011 by gravelyspeaking

During the rural cemetery movement designers created park-like cemeteries.  The first such cemetery was Mt. Auburn, which opened in 1831, at Cambridge, Massachussetts.  The ideal was to fuse the utility of having a place to bury the dead but design the cemeteries so they … Continue reading →

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Egyptian Revival, Part 2

Posted on April 2, 2011 by gravelyspeaking

The Schoenhofen Mausoleum in the Graceland Cemetery at Chicago, Illinois, is another grand example of Egyptian Revival Funeary Architecture.  The Egyptian and Christian symbolism share an uncomfortable coexistence.  The mausoleum displays images of the ancient pharaonic religion including the sphinx, the … Continue reading →

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The Egyptian Revival

Posted on April 1, 2011 by gravelyspeaking

After the French and British occupations of Egypt, there was a renewed interest in Egyptian architecture and symbolism.  The Egyptian symbol that is most commonly found in American cemeteries is the obelisk.  And the most famous obelisk in America is … Continue reading →

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Draped Urn

Posted on March 30, 2011 by gravelyspeaking

The monument in the photograph is of a draped urn.  This particular urn is a dramatic example of this symbol, cast in bronze and freestanding.  For the most part, the urns are found on top of columns and mausoleums, ornaments.  The urn, … Continue reading →

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The Tree of Life

Posted on March 24, 2011 by gravelyspeaking

The Burying Ground at the Morristown, New Jersey, Presbyterian Church     The Old Burying Ground at the Presbyterian Church at Morristown, New Jersey, is full of red slate gravestones, the most interesting of them by far is the gravestone … Continue reading →

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