Cemetery inscriptions explained

Carvings and inscriptions on gravestones explained

Mainly Church of Ireland

• Anchors and Ships--- Hope or Seafaring profession
• Arches---Victory in Death
• Arrows---Mortality
• Bouquets/flowers---condolences, grief, sorrow
• Broken Column---Loss of head of family
• Broken Ring---Family circle severed
• Buds/Rosebud---Morning of life or renewal of life
• Bugles---Resurrection and the military
• Butterfly---Short-lived; early death
• Candle being Snuffed---Time, mortality
• Hand of God Chopping---Sudden death
• Cherub---Angelic
• Corn---Ripe old age
• Cross---Emblem of faith
• Crossed Swords---High-ranking military person
• Darts--Mortality
• Doves---The Soul, purity, innocence, affection, gentleness
• Father Time---Mortality, The Grim Reaper
• Flowers---Brevity of early existence, sorrow
• Flying Birds---Flight of the soul
• Fruits---Eternal plenty
• Full-Blown Rose---Prime of life
• Garlands---Victory in death
• Imps---Mortality
• Hands of God Chopping---Sudden Death
• Handshakes---Farewell to earthly existence
• Harp---Praise to the Maker
• Hearts---Soul in bliss or love of Christ
• Horns---The Resurrection
• Hourglass---Swiftness of time
• Hourglass w/Wings of Time---Time flying; short life
• Ivy---Friendship and immortality
• Lamb---Innocence
• Laurel---Fame or victory
• Lily or Lily of Valley---Emblem of innocence and purity
• Morning Glory---Beginning of life
• Oak Leaves & Acorn---Maturity, ripe old age
• Open Book/Bible---Deceased teacher, minister, etc.
• Palm Branch---Signifies victory and rejoicing
• Picks and Shovels---Mortality
• Poppy---Sleep
• Portals---Passageway to eternal journey
• Roses---Brevity of earthly existence
• Sheaf of Wheat---Ripe for harvest, divine harvest time
• Shells---Pilgrimage of life
• Stars & Stripes Around Eagle---Eternal vigilance, liberty
• Suns---The Resurrection
• Thistles---Remembrance
• Tombs---Mortality
• Torch Inverted---Life extinct
• Trees---Life
• Tree Stump w/Ivy---Head of family; immortality
• Trumpeters--- Heralds of the resurrection
• Urn with Blaze---Undying friendship
• Urn with /wreath or crepe---mourning
• Weeping Willow---Emblem of sorrow
• Willows---Eternal sorrow
• Winged Effigies---Flight of the soul

Links and resources

• Gravestone Symbols

Irish Portal