Cemetery Symbols

Cemetery symbols

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Cemetery Symbols

Symbols: Objects that carry a secondary meaning– Abstract concepts

• Sorrow• Mortality

– Ideologies• Religious faith• Hope in resurrection

Individualised messages– Information about the life of the deceased

• Hobbies• Profession

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Symbols and their meanings

• Acroterion (Acroteria) = decoration• Anchor = faith, sailor• Angel = God’s messenger• Book = book of Life (recording a name destined

for eternity)• Bugle = soldier• Candelabra = ancient symbol of Judaism (Jews)• Calvary = Trinity (Father, Son & Holy Spirit)

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• Column = commemoration of a life (Broken column = a life cut short)

• Cross = symbolic of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross

• Dove = peace• Drape = mourning• Finial = Gothic decoration• Grapevine = Christ and His church• Hands = devotion, parting, reuniting at death• Heart = person, devotion

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• IHS = “Iesous,” (Greek word for Jesus) • I.N.R.I.= “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum”

(Jesus, King of the Jews)• Ivy = tenacious (persistent) faith• Koen = Jewish priestly blessing• Lily = resurrection• Magen David = Jewish identity• Pebbles = “I have visited your resting place”• Urn = mourning

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• Obelisk = Rays of the Sun

• Rose = shortness of life (bud = child, flower = adult)

• Scroll = life, time

• Square & compass = Freemasonry

• Star = Christ

• Washing = descendant of Levi

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Acroteria

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Acroteria (Shells)

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Anchor

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Anchor

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Anchor

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Anchor

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Angel

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Angel and Rustic Cross

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Angel and Rustic Cross

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Canopied Angel and Flaming Urns

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Mourning Angels

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Book

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Book

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Book

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Bugle

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Calvary and Latin Cross

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Calvary Cross

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Inhabited Cross and Calvary

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Seven-Branched Candelabra

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Rustic Column

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Shrouded Column

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Shrouded column

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Shrouded column

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Shrouded column

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Broken Column

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Shrouded, wreathed, broken column

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Bottonee Cross

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Fleury Cross

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Fleury Cross

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Fleury Cross

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Celtic Crosses

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Celtic Crosses

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Celtic Cross

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Celtic Cross

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Celtic Cross and “IHS”

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Celtic Cross and “IHS”

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Celtic Cross

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Celtic Cross

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Celtic Cross

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Eastern Orthodox (Russian) Cross

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Russian Cross

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Russian Cross

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Russian Cross

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Russian Cross

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Rustic Russian Cross

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Russian Cross and Roses

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“Inhabited” Russian Cross

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“Canopied” Russian Cross

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Slate Inscription

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Shrouded Die and Cross

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Celtic Cross

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Celtic Cross

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Rustic Cross

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Rustic Cross

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Rustic Cross

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Canopied Cross

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Dove

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Dove

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Dove

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Dove

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Finial

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Grapevine

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Clasped hands

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Clasped Hands

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IHS

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Heart

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Ivy

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Ivy

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Koen

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Lily

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Lily

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Lion

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Magen David – the “Star of David”

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Koen

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7-branched candelabra

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AIF plaque - Christian

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AIF plaque - Jewish

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AIF soldier headstone - Jewish

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Magen David and Koen

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Scroll

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Canopied Angel and Broken Column

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Broken Column

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Mourner

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Mourner

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Sport

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Sport

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Richard Ramo’s Mausoleum

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Sailor’s hat

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Cross

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Canopied Chest Tomb

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Canopied Chest Tomb

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Canopied Chest Tomb

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“Sursum Corda”

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“Lift Up Your Hearts”

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Life’s Journey: From Greece to Brisbane

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Flaming, Shrouded Urn

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Sentinel Obelisks and Mourner

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Monogram

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Monogram

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Crossed Rifles and Scroll

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Governor Blackall’s Gothic Spire

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Military Glory

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Monogram

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Obelisk

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Obelisk

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Obeliski

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Columns and Obeliski

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Obelisk

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Pebbles

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Pebbles

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Pebbles

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Portrait

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Star

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Rustic Scroll

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Chest Tomb

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Square & compasses

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Torah (Jewish Holy Text)

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Rose

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Draped Urn

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Jewish ritual washing

Education

Cemetery Symbols