Cemetery and Grave Symbolism

Cemetery Symbolism - A Wary Glossary
Many people who choose grave motifs have no idea what they are putting on their stones. What they know is that they like the design. Symbols can express ethnic identity, religion, association, or the good taste of the time.
alsirat.com/symbols/

Cemetery Symbols
Found in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, NY.
buffaloah.com/a/forestL/symbols/index.html

Cemeteries and Cemetery Symbols
Exploring the meaning of cemetery symbols and other graveyard mysteries.
cemeteries.wordpress.com/

Photo Gallery of Cemetery Symbolism - about.com
Meanings of Common Tombstone Symbols & Icons.
genealogy.about.com/od/cemetery_records/ig/tombstone_symbols/

Gravestone Symbolism
Anchor, Angel, Arch, Bible or Book, Bird, Bones, Broken Bud or Branch, Chicken or Rooster, Circle, Clapsed Hands, and more.
graveaddiction.com/symbol.html

Association for Gravestone Studies - FAQ
Gravestone rubbing is fun. It is possible to collect some beautiful artwork that can be framed and displayed. A carver's skill can be preserved, or an ancestor's stone recorded and appreciated through this craft. However, gravestone rubbing is also controversial.
gravestonestudies.org/faq.htm

(PDF) - A Sampling of Oregon Gravestone Symbols
American gravestone art inherits its symbolism from many sources: the Bible, Greek and Egyptian civilizations, and European cultural history that pre-dates Christianity.
oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/docs/Heritage_Bulletins/HB_7_Cemetery_Symbols.pdf

Funerary Symbolism
While families chose the tomb type and style to be constructed, they also chose the symbols they wanted to adorn the tomb or be inscribed on the enclosure tablet.
saveourcemeteries.org/cemeteries/symbols.htm

The A to Z of Tombstone Art
The custom of erecting ornately carved headstones over graves is a surprisingly recent innovation which found fashion in the 18th century.
tales.co.uk/index-atozart.html

Glossary of Victorian Cemetery Symbolism
Animals, Body Parts, Geometric Symbolism, Objects, Plants.
vintageviews.org/vv-tl/pages/Cem_Symbolism.htm