Cemetery Symbolism Part 4: Objects

Everyday objects, the tools we use to earn a living, the items we use to entertain ourselves and others, and the things that reflect our passions, often find a place on headstones and grave markers. Guitars, pianos, doorways, arches, arrows, and anchors can all be found in cemetery art. Whether personal, occupational, or religious, each carries symbolic meaning connected to the life of the deceased.

OBJECTS

Anchor

Early Christians used the anchor as a disguised cross and as a marker to guide believers to secret meeting places. A Christian symbol of hope, it is commonly found in the funerary art of the catacombs and is often depicted among rocks. It may also serve as an occupational symbol in seafaring communities or as an attribute of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of sailors. The anchor symbolises hope and steadfastness. An anchor with a broken chain represents the end of life.

Arch

Symbolises victory in life or victory over death.

Arrow

Denotes mortality.

Angels

Angels are agents of God, often depicted pointing toward Heaven or standing as guardians of the dead. They symbolise spirituality and divine guidance. Angels appear in a variety of poses, each carrying its own meaning.

Two commonly identifiable angels are:

• Michael, who bears a sword.
• Gabriel, who is portrayed with a horn or trumpet.

Angel Blowing a Trumpet

Represents the Day of Judgement and the call to the Resurrection.

Angel Carrying a Child

Represents the departed soul and God's protection, often symbolising innocence.

Guardian Angel

Often shown embracing the deceased or escorting them to Heaven as a messenger of God.

Flying Angel

Symbolises rebirth and the soul's ascent.

Many Angels Gathered in the Clouds

Represents Heaven.

Weeping Angel

Symbolises grief, mourning, or an untimely death.

Baby's Chair

An empty child's chair symbolises a life cut short and the loss of a young child. When accompanied by a pair of shoes, it emphasises childhood interrupted before adulthood could be reached.

Bible

Denotes a religious layperson, clergy member, or a life devoted to faith.

Book

Symbolises faith, learning, scholarship, knowledge, prayer, or memory. A book with a dog-eared page may represent remembrance. It may also symbolise the Book of Life. Open books carved as two-page spreads are particularly common.

Candle

A burning candle symbolises life.

Chalice

Represents the sacraments and Christian faith.

Cherubs

Often found on the graves of children.

Cherub's Head

Represents the soul.

Children

Usually symbolise innocence and the untimely death of the young. Children may also be depicted mourning a parent. If shown holding a skull, the figure represents a deceased child.

Sleeping Child

Sleep symbolises the transition between life and death. The child represents purity, innocence, and artlessness.

Chi-Rho (Chrisma)

A Christian symbol formed from the Greek letters Chi (Χ) and Rho (Ρ), the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ. It is one of Christianity's earliest symbols.

Circle

Represents perfection, eternity, and everlasting life.

Coffin, Sarcophagus, or Tomb Monument

A symbol of mortality.

Broken Column

Represents grief, sorrow, and a life cut short. It often symbolises the death of the head of a household. Broken columns are sometimes adorned with flowers and signify the decay of earthly life.

Columns with an Archway

Represent the entrance to Heaven.

Cross and Anchor

An early Christian symbol referring to Christ as "the hope we have as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:19).

Crown

Symbolises immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour, and glory. Crowns are sometimes shown being offered by angels to the faithful.

Crown on a Cross

Represents the sovereignty of Christ.

Doors and Gates

Symbolise passage into the afterlife and entrance into Heaven.

Drapery Over an Object

Represents sorrow and mourning.

Flame

A symbol of eternity and the immortal soul.

Grim Reaper

Death personified.

Harp

Associated with King David in the Old Testament and Saint Cecilia, patron saint of musicians. It symbolises worship in Heaven and hope.

Hourglass

Represents the passage of time, mortality, and the brevity of life.

Hourglass on Its Side

Indicates that time has stopped for the deceased.

Winged Hourglass

Represents the swift passage of time.

Keys

Symbolise spiritual knowledge. When held by an angel or saint, they may represent the keys to Heaven.

Knot

The interlaced Celtic knot symbolises resurrection and eternal life.

Labyrinth

Represents life's journey and spiritual pilgrimage.

Lamp

Symbolises knowledge, learning, wisdom, and the immortality of the spirit.

Pall, Pick, and Spade

Symbols of mortality and burial.

Pitcher or Ewer

A Jewish symbol associated with the Levites, representing their traditional role of washing the hands of the priests before sacred duties.

Rod or Staff

Represents comfort, guidance, and protection.

Scroll

A symbol of life and the passage of time. Scrolls with both ends rolled up represent a life still unfolding, with the past and future partially hidden. They may also signify honour, commemoration, and the recording of one's deeds by heavenly messengers.

Scythe

Represents death and the divine harvest.

Shell

The use of shells in burial symbolism predates Christianity and even Egyptian funerary customs. Shells represent fertility, resurrection, and pilgrimage.
Shells, coins, and stones are among the traditional items left at gravesites. This practice may recall the ancient custom of protecting graves with cairns of stones or simply serve as a sign that the deceased has not been forgotten.

Scallop Shell

A symbol of pilgrimage, resurrection, everlasting life, and life's journey. It is associated with pilgrims, the Crusades, and the Puritans.

Ship

Marks the grave of a sailor or seafarer.

Sickle

Represents death as the final harvest.

Skull or Skeleton

A reminder of mortality and death.

Star

Represents the spirit piercing the darkness and triumphing over oblivion. Five-pointed stars are often interpreted as symbols of the soul rising to Heaven.

Setting Sun

Represents death.

Rising Sun

Represents renewed life, resurrection, and rebirth.

Sword

Often indicates a military career or service.

Crossed Swords

Usually signify death in battle.

Torch

A lit or upright torch symbolises life, while an inverted or extinguished torch symbolises death.

Trumpets

Represent victory and resurrection.

Urn

A classical Greek symbol of mourning. Originally used to hold cremated remains, the urn came to symbolise the body as a vessel for the soul and became a popular funerary motif throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Urns are often shown draped with cloth, decorated with garlands, or surmounted by flames. Some memorials even depict angels peering into an urn.
Draped Urn

A traditional symbol of death and mourning, often associated with an elderly person's passing.

Vessel with Flame

Represents the eternal flame and the immortal spirit of humanity.

Winged Face

An effigy of the soul of the deceased.

Winged Globe

Originally associated with the Egyptian sun god Ra, the winged globe later became a Victorian symbol of divine power and creation.

Winged Skull

Represents the soul's flight from mortal existence.

Winged Wheel

Symbolises the Holy Spirit and swift spiritual movement.

Woman with or without a Bible Pointing Upward

Represents faith.

Woman Clinging to a Cross

A symbol of faith, inspired in part by illustrations accompanying Augustus Toplady's hymn Rock of Ages. Similar depictions may show a woman clinging to a pillar or anchor. This motif was particularly popular on white bronze monuments and Masonic memorials.