50th Post- My favorite stone so far

Today was sunny and a little warmer than it has been, so my husband and I set out to find some cemeteries and take some photos.

The day was cut short by a terrible Ohio Valley sinus headache, but not before we captured some fantastic stones with symbols we'd never come across before. More posts will follow, as we found a mother lode of ornate gravestones at Stonelick Township's Rapp Cemetery, but I wanted to celebrate my 50th post with this particular one.

According to Beth over at Grave Addiction, whose site I visit often, this scene of Father Time and a weeping virgin is chock-full of interesting symbols. She writes:

[This is a] Masonic carving. The carving consists of a weeping virgin holding a sprig of acacia in one hand, and an urn in the other hand. A broken column is in front of her. Father Time is behind her, attempting to untangle the ringlets of her hair. It symbolizes that time, patience, and perseverance will accomplish all things.

To further elaborate, the sprig of acacia is a commonly used Masonic symbol of purity and resurrection. It also has significance in funerary practice as it represents immortality and resurrection. In addition, incense is made from certain parts of the tree and there is speculation that it was an acacia tree that appeared in the Christian Bible as the burning bush.



A broken column represents a life which has ended. An urn can represent the soul. An hourglass representing the passage of time appears beside the male figure's foot. Of course, the Masonic level and compass appears below this scene, further proof connecting this carving to the secret society.

What strikes me most about this stone is the menacing look of Father Time. I noticed the sickle and assumed that's who it was, but at first glance it seemed to sinister, almost devil-like. His pointed ears and angry eyes added to this effect.

If you are ever out for a drive in Clermont County's Stonelick Township, I highly recommend swinging by this cemetery. Check out this site for detailed location.

Nine Mile Cemetery

This cemetery lies just off a busy road and behind a motel

The Holy Bible

The weeping willow tree

If you live in Cincinnati, you know that we've had some bridge problems lately. Traffic is horribly backed up in the morning, so we've started taking Nine Mile to Kellogg. As we passed Motel 6 on Nine Mile one morning, I spotted a cemetery I had never seen before out of the corner of my eye. I made a mental note to go back and explore that weekend.

This past Saturday morning, my husband and I set out to find this hidden cemetery, just minutes from our house and which neither of us had never seen.

Tucked in an odd corner across from the back of the motel, this small family cemetery is just off the street and seems really out of place, when in reality it has been there since the 1820's and everything else has just appeared over time around it.

I didn't see any new symbols, but I did find a lovely weeping willow (a very popular tradition symbol of mourning) and a Holy Bible in relief (which symbolizes a devout person or clergy member).

If anyone has any information about this cemetery, including the official name, please let me know. It does not seem to be on any map and I cannot find any information.

Gravestone Symbology

One of my favorite pastimes is visiting old cemeteries, which is fortunate since we are surrounded by every type from small, forgotten boneyards to the grand Spring Grove Cemetery, which is where we visited this past weekend on a very gray day.

One of my areas of interest is gravestone symbology. I am fascinated by the hidden meanings on old tombstones and love to seek out examples of my favorites, which include Masonic symbols, weeping willow trees and most of all, apiaries.

There are several lists of symbols and their meanings I use on a regular basis. The first is here and the second is here. Grave Addiction is an excellent general interest site.

When I visited Perrysville Battlefield with my husband and parents, I purchased a booklet on Victorian mourning customs, which explained many traditions and symbols from the period when mourning was a lifestyle. If you notice, many gravestone symbols originate, or were popular, during this time period. Also of interest if you should ever pass through the area and are interested in Civil War history, there is a mass grave located near the visitor center. The area is surrounded by a fence with an impressive monument in the middle of the patch of land. I didn't linger there, as it was a very melancholy thought to have a mass grave underfoot.

When I look at old tombstones and their engravings, especially in contrast to a mass, nearly forgotten grave such as I mentioned above, it makes me realize how important a final tribute is. Seeing the thought and care put into summarizing a person's life in stone is quite amazing.

In many ways, gravestone symbology seems to be a lost art. With the exception of Masons, Knights of Columbus, IOOF, Eastern Star and other well-known but mysterious organizations, it seems that most people today opt for a simple tombstone with a last name and sometimes birth and death dates. Of course, angels and flowers still show up, as do modern interests such as motorcycles and cars, but there is little symbology; these are fairly straightforward tributes.

Pictures:

1. Cut/broken tree branch=life cut short
2. Masonic compass and level
3. Wreath=heavenly joy
4. Traditional weeping lady