First, some basics

No saying, symbol or design in a cemetery ever succumbs to death.  The single function of a grave is to store the remains either to restore it to Mother Nature, as in an earthen grave, or entomb it for future access, such in a mausoleum. It is an obligatory function which carries no meaning other than the function. Inspiration, respect, honor and remembrance are not attributes of the grave but actualizations because it represents, in fact, that the earthly existence is over, the steely bonds of this world have been broken. Therefore all treatments of it are, necessarily, words, designs, and other creations of the sublime and wonderful.  If the image of the Grim Reaper is displayed its message is not one of defeat. Rather these are symbols of mankind employing the forces of death in order to gain heavenly bliss. Remember the skull and wings found on a majority of slate monoliths in the older cemeteries? They are rather badges carved into the stone to indicate that the entombed is in fact among the dead and thus in a far better world than we are in. 

Etchings, mounted photos, and carved likeness of the interred are memory joggers and cultural statements.  They serve you to remember. They serve the future as a record of cultural circumstance – especially after all these CD’s and DVD’s fade away.

There are 4 languages employed on markers. The first is native, such as English or Spanish, etc. The second is the medium, such as granite, metal, glass, etc. The third is sign and the fourth is symbol.

The text carved into a marker is, of course, in the language used by those who have invested in the marker. The font – style of the lettering – usually is standard Roman Modified or Script. Both are common commemorative fonts. Different styles indicate a statement of one kind of another – more about lettering later.

The medium employed to construct the marker speaks volumes.  Remember when the marker was originally ordered? The salesman spoke of “Select Granite” or “processed bronze” or “standard military issue.”  These tell future investigators where, how and when the marker came to be. It tells you the class, qualifications and durability of the marker. Select granite is forever, military issue will eventually fall victim to the forces of environment.  Color choice of material will indicate cultural sophistication and, often, the location of the source of material. 20^th century gray stone came from eastern American quarries, red to Midwestern America and Eastern Europe,  black had variations from America, Africa, India and China,  pink ran from Vermont and into Canada.  Presently these sources still are active but, like most everything else, all colors come from China and India.

In nature, we find patterns, designs and structures that inevitably follow geometrical archetypes. Known as Sacred Geometry, designers employ these patterns in order to send messages across far stretches of time.

This is a sign:  A depiction of Jesus as Lord and the founder of Christianity.

                       A sign of  the Sacred Heart, Jesus, Christianity.  Signs point at people, places and things without regard to what those things mean.  A sign is a badge of identification.

This is a symbol: A symbol of Jesus,  the Sacrificial Lamb of God, Lord and the founder of Christianity.  

 Symbols convey the meaning of people, places and things. As such, they are communication devices that open dialog between present changing reality and infinite, unchanging truths. Their potent value is to build a bridge from time past, through the present, and into the future. Memorial symbolism is an ancient art that has not varied since its first appearances at New Grange, Egypt, Babylon and before. Styles and variations have emerged, however, they proceed according to a strict inner spiritual code. For example, the cross has always been the symbol of male and female energy standing between the forces of the heavens and the earth. Variations of it now represent the Church – a community of men and women who work collectively to reconcile the forces of heaven and earth.  Include some Celtic knot work into the cross and it represents the Christian views professed by the Celts, 2,500 BC through the present. Make that knot work a continuous tri-fold, called a Celtic Triple Drop, and it represents the three forces of nature...earth, fire and water under the control or in opposition of the human community. The single continuous line in a Celtic curl symbolizes the church as a unit as well as completeness of spirit and being.

The Broken Bud is an obvious symbol for being taken before reaching one’s prime.  It is not representative of  or appropriate for a child. Rather it is employed for those who formulated goals and dreams but now must complete their destiny beyond the steely bonds of earth; or leave them for another to fulfill.

        To read a memorial properly one needs a level of  understanding of the symbolic language used.  There exists an endless list of symbols and signs, far too many to offer you here. However, I will try to present throughout this section the more common and how they are employed.  Besides direct text, symbols and signs,  emblems are frequently found carved or attached to markers. Emblems themselves incorporate symbols to create a sign or logo for an organization or group. There is no need to cover them in this context as most emblems are easily read and recognized

   DAISY -  Innocence, Loyal Love, I'll Never Tell, Purity

 ORCHID -  Beauty, Refinement, Chinese Symbol for Many Children