| Symbolisum Lesson Seven cont...... |
| Column - Mortality
also the broken column traditionally signifies the break in life. Loss of family head, a noble life.
Caterpillar - Life, metamorphosis. Celtic Cross - Faith and eternity. Chain With Three Links - Trinity, faith, Odd Fellows. Conch Shell - Wisdom, reincarnation. Cross - Faith, resurrection. Symbol of faith Crown - Glory of life after death. Crown - upon Skull Triumph of death. Cup or Chalice - The Sacrament. Cypress Tree - Deep mourning, Hope . The cross of the crucifixion was allegedly constructed in part of Cypress. Once felled, a cypress never grows again. Corn - Ripe old age Cherub - Angelic Candle (being snuffed out) - Time, mortality Dolphin - Resurrection, salvation, bearer of souls across water to heaven. Door - Entrance to heaven. Dove - Love, purity, resurrection, the Holy Spirit. Drapery - Pall Mourning or mortality. Eagle - Courage, faith, generosity, contemplation, military. Eye - Humility. Eye of Ra/Horus - Sun/Moon, Life/Death, protection against evil. |
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| Eternal Fruits - plenty
Full-blown rose - Prime of life Female Figure Sorrow - grief. Finger Pointing Downward - Calling the earth to witness. Finger Pointing Upward - Pathway to heaven, heavenly reward. Fish - Faith, life, spiritual nourishment. Flag - Military, patriotism. Fleur de lys - Perfection, light, life, royalty. Flower - (general) Life's frailty, immortality. Flying Bird - Rebirth, Flight of the soul. Frog - Worldly pleasure, sin. Garland - Victory over death. Grim Reaper - Inevitability of Death. Gun - Military service. Hair, Flowing - Penitence. Harp - Hope, praise to the Maker. Heart, Pierced by Sword - Virgin Mary, Christ, repentance. Heart, Flaming - Religious fervor. Heart - Love, devotion, sorrow, joy, mortality. Helmet - Military service, strength, protection. Horseshoe - Protection against evil. Hourglass - Swift passage of time, temperance. Horns - The Resurrection |
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Hands - Farewell
! Hands are a symbol of fortitude in Ancient Egypt and of fidelity in Rome. The male and female clasping hands often seen on family graves represent the everlasting union of husband and wife. Also can signify �farewell�, as seen by the ribbon banner over the hands. |
| Horse - Courage or generosity. An attribute of St George, St Martin, St Maurice & St Victor, all of whom are represented in Christian art on horseback. It is not uncommonly an emblem of catacombs.
Hourglass - The passage of life. Often seen adorned with wings, which indicates a short life. It is the traditional symbol of Old Father Time. The scythe also frequently appears in funeral masonry and especially decorative ironwork. I.H.S - Jesus Hominum Salvator (Jesus the Saviour of men) A familiar headstone inscription, the three letters I.H.S. can be interpreted in a number of ways. Other explanations include In Hac Salus - safety in this (meaning the cross), and In Hoc Signo - in this sign (ye will conquer). A more popular one is �In His Service�. This is commonly seen of Celtic crosses. Isis - The Virgin Mary, rebirth Imps - Mortality Ivy - Friendship. The evergreen leaf of the ivy denotes immortality. Fidelity, attachment, undying affection, eternal life. |
| ON MY! Look at the clock, well...we will pick this up in Lessons Eight, this is one subject, headstones, I find fascinating! So, do the quiz below! |
| 1.) When did ornately carved headstones come into fashion? 2.) Who were the first to enhance tombstones? 3.) Name two things that early carved cherubs were doing. 4.) The Victorian markers were less ornate, what did the stonemasions nickname these? 5.) What does a butterfly on a headstone signify? 6.) What does a broken or draped column indicate? 7.) Hands shaking? 8.) What do the letter IHS mean? |
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