The Symbolism of Monuments

Examples of Cemetery Symbolism

Imagery

• Alpha and Omega – Symbol of the beginning and the end; the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet
• Anchor – Hope or eternal life, often found on the graves of sailors or Masons
• Angel – Resurrection, agent of God, messenger
• Ankh – An Egyptian symbol for eternal life
• Anvil – Symbol for the creation of the universe; also found on blacksmiths’ graves
• Apple – Symbol of salvation or of sin
• Arch – The passage to Heaven
• Arrow – Symbol of martyrdom and mortality
• Artillery – Symbol of military service
• Beehive – Symbol of faith, education and domestic virtue, often used by Freemasons.
• Bell – Representative of religion
• Bible– Often found on the gravestones of clergymen and also of very devoted religious individuals
• Bird – Peace, messenger of God
• Boat – Crossing over to the other side
• Bones/Skeleton – Death or decay
• Book – The book of life, knowledge
• Book (open) – Symbol of a person’s good deeds recorded in the book of life
• Broken branch – Untimely or premature death, often on the grave of a young person
• Broken chain – Family loss
• Butterfly – Freedom, resurrection, metamorphosis
• Chair, empty – Symbolic of the death of a child
• Circle – Eternity, perfection, completeness
• Clasped hands – Farewell to earthly life
• Clock – Passage of time
• Coffin – Mortality, death
• Column – Commemoration, mortality
• Column, broken – Life cut short
• Corn – Rebirth, fertility
• Cornucopia – Symbol of a fruitful life
• Cross – Christianity
• Crown – Triumph over death
• Daisy – Innocence, often found on children’s graves
• Dog – Loyalty, fidelity, watchfulness
• Dove – Love, purity, peace
• Drapery – Mourning
• Eagle – Sometimes found on the gravestones of veterans of the Civil War
• Eagle, double-headed – Symbol of the Masons, Scottish Rite
• Egg and dart – Life and death
• Eucharist – Symbol of the body and blood of Christ, often found on the graves of priests and nuns
• Eye – Masonic symbol, often found in a triangle or a sunburst
• Fern – Humility and sincerity
• Figure of an elderly man with hourglass and sickle – Father Time
• Finger pointing downward – Mortality, “calling earth to witness” or the hand of God descending from heaven
• Finger pointing upward – “Gone to heaven”
• Fish – Christianity
• Flag – Often found on the graves of veterans
• Fleur-de-lys – The holy Trinity
• Flower, broken – Premature death
• Garland – Victory in death
• Gate – Passage from earth to heaven
• Grapes – The Blood of Christ
• Greek Catholic Cross – Three bars symbolizing the cross on which Christ was crucified
• Hammer – The power of creation
• Hand holding a heart – Charity, often used by fraternal organizations, the Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
• Hand shown writing – Writing names in the book of life
• Hands praying – Pious devotion
• Hands reaching from above and below – God reaching down from Heaven for the hand of the deceased
• Harp – Praise to God; a broken string on the harp represents a break in mortal life
• Heart – Spirit or soul
• Horse – Death
• Hourglass – Passage of time
• Hourglass, winged – “Time is fleeting”
• Hummingbird – Often found on infants’ or children’s gravestones
• IHS – The first three letters of Jesus’ name in the Greek alphabet
• Interlocking rings – Marriage
• Ivy – Friendship, fidelity
• Knot, tied – Marriage, unity
• Lamb with a cross or a banner – Agnus Dei, the lamb of God
• Lamb – Good Shepherd, innocence, often used for commemorating children
• Lamp – Faithfulness, wisdom
• Laurel – Represents the memory of the deceased
• Lily – Purity
• Lily of the Valley – Purity, innocence
• Lion – Strength
• Lion, winged – Symbol of St. Mark, one of the four evangelists
• Lotus – Creation and rebirth
• Lyre – Symbol of the end of life; often found on the gravestones of musicians
• Menorah – Divine wisdom
• Moon – Rebirth
• Morning Glory – Beauty, youth
• Mortar and Pestle – Often found on the gravestones of doctors or pharmacists
• Oak Leaf – Longevity
• Owl – Wisdom, watchfulness
• Ox – Patience, strength
• Ox, winged – Symbol of St. Luke, one of the four evangelists
• Palette and brush – Sometimes found on the gravestones of artists
• Palm frond or tree – Victory over death
• Pitcher – Virtue and control
• Plow – Harvest, the reaping of life
• Poppy – Eternal sleep
• Portrait – A likeness of the deceased
• Rabbit – Humility, gentleness
• Rifle – Sometimes found on the graves of veterans
• Rooster – Vigilance, an awakening
• Rosary  – Symbol of constant prayer for the deceased, usually found on Catholic gravestones
• Rose – Beauty
• Scales – Symbol of the legal profession
• Scarab – Renewal of life
• Scroll – Scriptures
• Shell – Rebirth, the baptism of Christ, Christian pilgrimage, maritime
• Ship – Sometimes found on the graves of sailors or those who died at sea
• Shoes, empty – Loss of a child
• Sickle – Reaping of life
• Skull – Death and immortality
• Skull and crossbones – Death, mortality
• Skull, winged – Ascension into heaven
• Sleeping child – Victorian symbol for death
• Snake wrapped on a cross – Masonic brazen serpent
• Snake, forming a circle – Eternal life

• Soldier on a horse – A soldier’s grave. Traditionally, in statuary, when a figure is seen atop a horse in memorial, there are the three meanings: two of the horses’ feet raised symbolize death in battle. One of the horse’s legs raised fully off the ground symbolizes death caused by wounds suffered in battle. If the horse is standing at rest, the deceased individual likely served in battle but died of natural causes. 
• Sphinx – Guardian
• Square and Compass – Often found on gravestones of members of the Freemasons
• Staff entwined by two snakes – Caduceus, sometimes seen on the gravestones of physicians
• Star, 5-pointed – Star of Bethlehem
• Star of David – Divine protection, symbol of Judaism
• Star, 6-pointed – Creation
• Star, Cross and Shepherd’s Crook – White Shrine of Jerusalem, a society for women related to a Master Mason in good standing.
• Sun – Soul rising to heaven
• Sun disk, winged – Divine protection
• Sunflower – Devotion to God
• Sword – Martyrdom, justice, courage
• Sword, Crescent and Sphinx – Symbol of the Shriners
• Swords, crossed – Often seen on gravestones of veterans, particularly officers
• Tablets, double – The Ten Commandments
• Thistle – Earthly sorrow; also found on Scottish gravestones.
• Torch – Eternity, immortality, liberty
• Torch (inverted) – Life extinguished
• Tree, fallen – Mortality, death
• Triangle with square, spade and keys – York Rite of Masonry
• Tulip – Love and passion
• Urn – The soul
• Urn, draped – Traditional symbol of death, sorrow
• Veteran of the Cross – A veteran member of the Methodist Church
• Wheat – Symbol of the harvest
• Willow tree – Sadness, mourning
• Woman crying – Mourning, sorrow
• Woman holding or draped on a cross – Faith
• Woman holding an anchor – Hope
• Wreath – Victory in death
• XP, overlapped – Chi-Rho, the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ
• Yin yang circle – Harmony, balance, birth and death

Examples of names, acronyms or symbols representing fraternal organizations or professional affiliations 

Fraternal Organizations, Affiliations and Acronyms

• AOUW – Symbol of the fraternal society the Ancient Order of United Workmen
• AEOS – Ancient Egyptian Order of Sciots, founded 1890
• AHOGK – Ancient and Heroic Order of the Gordian Knot, c.1964
• ALOH – American Legion of Honor, founded 1878
• American Legion – Often found on the graves of individuals who were members of the veterans’ organization, American Legion
• AMOS – Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans, founded 1924
• AOF – Ancient Order of Foresters, founded in 1882
• AOH – Ancient Order of Hibernians, founded 1836
• AOKMC – Ancient Order Of Knights of Mystic Circle, founded 1861
• AOUW – Ancient Order Of United Workmen, founded 1868
• AS – Aurum Solis, founded 1897
• BPOE – Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, founded 1868
• BPOEW – Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World, founded c. 1897
• CK of A – Catholic Knights of America, founded 1877
• Colonial Daughters of the 17th Century – Organization for women descended from an ancestor who provided service in the Colonial Wars from 1607 to 1699
• DAR – Daughters of the American Revolution, an organization for women descended from veterans of the Revolutionary War
• DOKK – Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan, founded 1894
• ECV – E Clampus Vitus, founded c. 1849 and revitalized in 1931
• F.A.T.A.L. shown with a 5-pointed star – “Fairest Among Thousands, Altogether Lovely” the motto of the Order of the Eastern Star
• FOE – Fraternal Order of Eagles, founded 1898
• G. A. R. – Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization for those who fought and were honorably discharged from the Union Army during the Civil War, founded 1866
• GUO of OF – Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, founded 1843
• IOM – Independent Order of Mechanics, a fraternal organization
• IO of GT – International Organization of Good Templars, founded 1851
• IOI – Independent Order of Immaculates, founded 1872
• IOKP – Improved Order of Knights of Pythias, founded 1895
• IOOF – Independent Order of Odd Fellows, founded 1819
• IORM – Improved Order of Red Men, founded 1834
• JOAUW – Junior Order-Ancient Order of United Workmen, founded 1868
• JOUAM – Junior Order-Order of United American Mechanics, founded 1853
• K of E – Knights of Equity, founded 1895
• K of L – Knights of Liberty, founded circa. 1920
• K of L – Knights of Luther, founded 1912
• K of T – Knights of Tabor, founded 1846
• KAEO – Knights of the Ancient Essenic Order, founded c.1880’s
• KC or K of C – Knights of Columbus, founded 1882
• Keystone with letters HTWSSTKS – Masonic keystone, the mark of an Ancient Grand Master; HTWSSTKS represents “Hiram The Widow’s Son Sent to King Solomon”
• KGE – Knights of Golden Eagle, founded 1872
• KGH – Knights of the Golden Horn, founded 1872
• KGL – Knight Grand Legion
• KM – Knights Militant
• KMC – Knights of the (Ancient Order of the) Mystic Chain, founded 1887
• KOTGR (K.G.R.) – Knights Of The Golden Rule, founded c. 1880’s
• KOTM – Knights of Maccabees, founded 1878
• KP or K of P – Knights of Pythias, founded 1864
• KPC – Knights of Peter Claver, founded 1909
• KRA – Knights of the Royal Arch
• KSF – Knights of Sherwood Forest
• KSP – Modern Knights of St. Paul, founded 1917
• KT – Knight Templar
• LK of A – Loyal Knights of America, founded 1890
• MOLLUS – Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
• MRA – Royal Arcanum, founded 1877
• MWA – Modern Woodsmen of America, founded 1883
• NHA – National Haymakers’ Association, founded 1879
• OOO – Order of Owls, founded 1904
• OSC – Order of Scottish Clans
• OES – Order of the Eastern Star, founded 1850
• OOH – Oriental Order of Humility
• OOH& P – Oriental Order of Humility and Perfection
• OTO – Ordo Templi Orientis, founded 1906
• OUAM – Order of United American Mechanics
• PM – Patriarchs Militant (Independent Order of Odd Fellows), circa 1870’s
• POSA – Patriotic Order of the Sons of America, founded 1847
• RAM – Royal Arch Masonry, c. 1765
• RAOB – Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffalo, founded 1822
• SAR – Sons of the American Revolution, a fraternal society for male descendents of veterans of the Revolutionary War
• SV – Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (later known as Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War)
• TBH – Tribe of Ben-Hur, founded 1894
• UOA Druids – United Order of Ancient Druids
• UOH – United Order of Honor
• UVL – Union Veterans League, an organization for Union Civil War veterans
• WRC – Women’s Relief Corp., the women’s auxiliary for the Grand Army of the Republic