Gravely Speaking

Trinity Churchyard Cemetery, New York, new York

As I walked through the Hartsdale Canine Cemetery at Hartsdale, New York, I noticed so many similarities between the gravestones of humans and animals. Of course, the gravestones for the dogs and cats are chosen by those humans that loved them, so it is only natural that there would be so much sameness in terms of the stone shapes, the materials for the gravestones, even some of the symbolism, but I also noticed what I believe are some fundamental differences in symbolism.

For instance, bones carved into a gravestone for a human in the 18^th Century has a completely different meaning than the bone found on the gravestone for one of our four-legged friends! In the former, it is a symbol if decay and rot. It is to remind us that our bodies are temporary and that death is always with us, a constant creepy companion that will meet up with us eventually.

The bone, however, found on the gravestone of a dog, like Isabella in the photo below, is a reminder of what a dog loves—to gnaw on a bone, to fetch a bone. It is a joyful item and a reminder of a playful puppy with something yummy!

A world of difference in perspective!  One is all about Heaven and one isn’t.

Hartsdale Canine Cemetery, Hartsdale, New York

Hartsdale Canine Cemetery, Hartsdale, New York

Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts

When I write about our furry family members, I am not referring to those males in the family with hair on their backs, but instead, our little four-legged family members—our dogs and cats. As it turns out, with the exception of how much room is between gravestones, those who bury their pets choose much the same symbolism and gravestone choices as we do with our two-legged family members.

In the example above, the empty bassinet, represents the emptiness that is felt by the loss of the dogs buried underneath. It is much like the empty bassinet gravestone that marks the intricately-carved white marble gravestone of Mary Wigglesworth, who died just shy of her first birthday, her inscription on the pillow.  The symbolism is obvious.  The marker is clearly for a child but also represents the emptiness and sadness from the loss.

Many gravestones also display a photo on the face of the gravestone. That is common in the Hartsdale Canine Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York, too.  The gravestone above displays a photo of a cat named, the Fifth Daisy, while the gravestone below displays the photo of 34-year old Anna Maddalena.

Mt. Olivet, Red Bank, New Jersey

Fair View Cemetery, Red Bank, New Jersey

The biggest cemetery in Red Bank, New Jersey, is named Fair View which strikes me as funny. The name chosen is damning by faint praise—the view isn’t bad, it isn’t great, it is just “fair”. But what’s in a name? The cemetery is beautiful, set in a neighborhood on gently rolling hills and landscaped in the tradition of some of the first rural cemeteries.

At any rate, Fair View Cemetery has several mausoleums within its gates, including the the Proal Family Mausoleum. The mausoleum is fairly modest, built in a rustic rough-hewn style. The exceptional feature of the crypt is the stained glass window on the back wall.   Adorning the window in shimmering blues, purples, greens, and cocoa is a glass angel depicted holding a crown, as if it is going to be offered to a recently arrived soul to Heaven.

The crown is a symbol of glory and reward and victory over death.  The reward comes after life and the hard-fought battle on Earth against the wages of sin and the temptations of the flesh.  The reward awaits in Heaven where the victor will receive a crown of victory. The crown also represents the sovereign authority of the Lord.

In the angels other hand, the angel holds a palm leaf. This symbol is most closely associated with Easter, and Jesus’ spiritual victory over death. The palm frond is also a symbol of eternal peace.

Glendale Cemetery, Akron, Ohio

On the massive bronze doors of the Bertram Work Neo-Classical Mausoleum in the Glendale Cemetery, at Akron, Ohio, are several repeating images, one of which is the Ouroboros. The Ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a snake eating its tail. The word, Ouroboros, is Greek—oura meaning tail; vora meaning eating, and ophis meaning serpent or snake. In ancient Egypt, the Ouroboros represented the daily passage of the sun.  The snake eating its tail in cemetery symbolism represents the cycle of life—birth and death—and eternity.

Corneliea Dau

Of John & Mary

Dixon died April

Ye 10 1788 aged

2 Year 6 Months

& 23 Days

Tulips have long been a symbol found in the graveyard, including on the gravestone of two and a half year old, Corneleia Dixon, found in the First Presbyterian Church Cemetery at Trenton, New Jersey. The tulips on this gravestone are highly stylized, yet still recognizable.  Tulips are a symbol of love and passion but since this symbol is on a child’s gravestone it most likely represents eternal life.