Anchor: Christ, because he prevents people from becoming lost. Can mean the deceased person was a sailor.

Angels: Spirituality. Angels guard the tomb, guide the soul, pray for the soul.

Arch: Victory

Banner: Victory or triumph

Bird: Symbol of the soul

Book: The Bible or Wisdom. A stack of books indicates knowledge. If the book is open, the word of God was revealed to the deceased.

Butterfly: Short life

Candle Being Snuffed: Loss of life

Chalice: Wine, a drink Christians use to symbolize the blood of Christ.

Chain links: Three or five chain links are a Masonic symbol.

Child: A sleeping child was used to symbolize death during the Victorian era.

Coat of Arms: Mark of status and wealth. It may be used to signify the country the deceased person came from.

Cross: One of the most common images found on Christian gravestones.

Cross, heart, and anchor: Faith, hope, charity

Crown: Faithfulness and the glory of death as purification.

Dog: A "good master" or worthy of love.

Door: Entrance to a new life, an opening to the house of the dead

Dove: A bird that appears in both Christian and Jewish cemeteries.

• For Protestants, the dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit.
• For Jews, the dove symbolizes peace
• A dove ascending to heaven is transporting the soul.
• A sitting dove is guarding the soul.
• A dove descending from heaven is an assurance of a passage to heaven.

Drapery: Sorrow and mourning

Eagles: Fierceness and ascension. Eagles are often found on the markers of veterans.

Eye: God's eye watching over good Christians

Flowers:

• Flower Garlands : the deceased lived a "pure life"
• Flower Bouquet: Grief
• Broken Flower: Life terminated
• Purity Calla lily: Marriage.
• Morning Glory: Beginning of a new life
• Pansy: remembrance
• Rose: Virgin Mary, the "rose without thorns." It also symbolizes the brevity of human life.
• Poppy: Eternal sleep; death Lotus: an Egyptian revival motif

Fish: Christian abundance

Flame from urn: Christian life

Fleur-de-lis: is used to signify the Virgin Mary and the Trinity.

Fruit: the deceased person lived a righteous life.

Gate: Departure from life; entrance to heaven, Death is thought to be the "gateway" to heaven.

Hands:

• Hands pointing up: Pathway to heaven
• Hands clasped: Symbolizes marriage
• Hands praying: Asking God for Eternal life
• Hands blessing: Blessing of those left behind

Harp or lyre: Heavenly music or joy

Heart: The living still care about the person who died.

Hourglass: Time has run out

Emblem of Organizations denote membership.

Lamb: Most commonly found on 19th century child markers, stands for innocence.

Lamp: Word of God, truth and good works. Signifies the immortality of the Spirit.

Lion: Courage; guards the tomb

Menorah: Emblem of Judaism

Mourning Figure Usually a woman.

Peacock: Incorrupt. It also signifies resurrection, beauty of the soul, and immorta1ity.

Plants:

• Ivy: Friendship and fidelity
• Thistle: Scottish descent and remembrance
• Vine: The Christian church, because wine signifies Jesus' blood.
• Wheat: the "divine harvest." Can also symbolize the death of an elderly person.

Ring, Broken: The family has been severed

Rock: Steadfastness and stability

Rooster: A wakening, resurrection

Rope: Eternity

Scales: Equality and justice.

Sea Shells/Scallop Shell: Man's earthly pilgrimage. Also, a symbol of birth and resurrection.

Scroll: Law or scriptures

Scythe: A harvesting tool that represents death

Sheep are the Christians, and Jesus was the shepherd.

Ship: Can signify the occupation of deceased or man's journey through life.

Snake (tail in mouth): Everlasting life

Sword: Martyrdom, courage or warfare

Swords, Crossed: Military person of high rank

 Torch:

• A lit torch signifies life or eternal life.
• An extinguished torch symbolizes death. It can also stand for living memory and eternal life.
• An elevated torch symbolizes resurrection.
• A lowered torch symbolizes death.

Three (chains, points, leaves, etc.) symbolizes the Trinity

Trees

• A tree growing from a tomb or urn symbolizes rebirth.
• A fallen tree symbolizes death.
• A broken tree branch indicates mortality.
• A tree trunk symbolizes the brevity (shortness) of life.
• A tree stump means life was interrupted.
• A sprouting tree shows life everlasting.
• An uprooted tree symbolizes an unexpected death, usually from disease.
• Almond tree: Favor from god; Virgin birth
• Cedar tree: Strong faith; success
• Cypress tree: Sorrow; death; eternal life; Roman symbol for mourning Evergreen trees: Immortality
• Oak tree: Some people believe that Jesus' cross was made from an oak tree. Olive tree: Peace, healing faith
• Palm tree: Victory, martyrdom peace
• Willow tree: Grief, death, sorrow
• Yew tree: Immortality.

Trumpet: call to the glory of resurrection

Wreath: ancient symbol for victory