40 Symbols Often Carved On Old Headstones That Have Cryptic Double-Meanings
Take a stroll through a cemetery, and you’ll see intricate carvings on the monuments to the deceased. But while some of these poignant figures – like angels – make a lot of sense, others appear more out of place. Why is a lion sitting on a gravestone? It’s probably to do with what the big cat symbolizes. And many of the other carvings also have powerful meanings you should know about.
Compared to some other gravestone markings out there, the clasped hands symbol isn’t particularly rare. But it can still be interpreted in a few different ways. It may be a simple goodbye to the deceased, or a message of solidarity beyond death. And, of course, it could well be a touching tribute to the love between a couple.
Know your Bible passages? Then you may recall John 1:29, which says, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” That line is in reference to Jesus Christ, which explains why you may come across images of lambs at burial plots. The animal also denotes virtue and goodness, making it a moving sight on children’s headstones.
An hourglass symbol can be looked at in two very different ways. The first simply signifies death: basically, the deceased’s time is up. The second meaning, however, is much less morbid. It’s a sign of resurrection, as when you flip an hourglass upside down, you’ve essentially reset it. Pretty clever, right?
In Victorian times, lilies were the go-to choice for funeral flower arrangements. Back then, you see, the beautiful bloom represented the cleansing of a person’s spirit after they’d passed away. And by extension, a lily symbol on a headstone denotes virtue and integrity.
