Symbolism

	The Symbols
Anchor	Hope, seaman.
Angels	Rebirth, resurrection, protection, judgment, wisdom, mercy, Divine love.
Ankh	Eternal life, peace, truth.
Arch	Victory in death, being rejoined with partner in heaven.
Arrow	Mortality.
Beehive	Domestic virtues, education, faith, abundance in the Promised Land, piety.
Bell	Mourning.
Bird	Eternal life, winged soul, spirituality.
Book	The Divine word or one's accomplishments.
Broken or Draped column	Early death, grief.
Burning Flame	Life or resurrection.
Butterfly	Resurrection.
Caterpillar	Life, metamorphosis.
Celtic Cross	Faith and eternity.
Chain With Three Links	Trinity, faith, Odd Fellows.
Column	Noble life.
Conch Shell	Wisdom, reincarnation.
Cross	Faith, resurrection.
Crown	Glory of life after death.
Crown upon Skull	Triumph of death.
Cup or Chalice	The Sacrament.
Cypress	Hope.
Dolphin	Resurrection, salvation, bearer of souls across water to heaven.
Door	Entrance to heaven.
Dove	Love, purity, resurrection, the Holy Spirit.
Drapery or Pall	Mourning or mortality.
Eagle	Courage, faith, generosity, contemplation, military.
Eye	Humility.
Eye of Ra/Horus	Sun/Moon, Life/Death, protection against evil.
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.
Frog	Worldly pleasure, sin.
Garland	Victory over death.
Grim Reaper	Inevitability of Death.
Gun	Military service.
Hair, Flowing	Penitence.
Hands Clasped	Farewell, hope of meeting in eternity.
Harp	Hope.
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.
IHS	Eternity (Christian symbol: "In His Service" or "In this sign conquer") Commonly used in Celtic crosses.
Isis	Rebirth, the Virgin Mary.
Ivy	Fidelity, attachment, undying affection, eternal life.
Lamb	Innocence (specially on a child's grave), Resurrection.
Laurel Leaves	Triumph.
Lily	Purity, sometimes chastity.
Lily of the Valley	Rebirth, Virgin Mary.
Lion	Courage, bravery, strength.
Lotus	Purity, resurrection, perfect beauty, spiritual revelation.
Masonic Compass and Set Square	Freemasons, uprightness, judgment.
Memento mori	Symbol of death and reminder of mortality.
Menorah	Divine wisdom.
Mistletoe	Immortality.
Moon	Death, rebirth, victory, sorrow of the crucifixion.
Mother and Child	Charity, love.
Myrtle	Undying love, peace.
Naked Figure	Truth, purity, innocence.
Oak	Strength of faith and virtue, endurance.
Obelisk	Rebirth, connection between earth and heaven.
Olive Branch	Peace, forgiveness, humanity.
Open Gates	Afterlife, the soul entering heaven.
Orb	Faith.
Owl	Wisdom, solitude, a warning of impending death.
Pall	Mortality, mourning.
Pansy	Remembrance, meditation.
Pick	Death, mortality.
Poppies	Eternal sleep.
Pyramid	Resurrection, eternal life, enlightenment, spiritual attainment.
Rainbow	Union, fulfillment of the promise of resurrection.
Ripened Fruit	Nourishment of the soul.
Rod or Staff	Comfort to the bereaved.
Rooster	Awakening, resurrection, courage, vigilance.
Rope Circle	Eternity.
Rose	Victory, pride, triumphant love, purity.
Scallop Shell	Birth, baptism, resurrection, life everlasting, pilgrimage of life.
Scarab	Resurrection, transcendence.
Scepter	Fortitude.
Scythe	Death, cutting life short, the final harvest.
Severed Branch	Mortality.
Shamrock	Irish descent, Holy Trinity.
Shattered Urn	Old age.
Sheaf of Wheat	Old age, fruitful life.
Shepherd's Crook	Charity.
Skeleton	Death, life's brevity.
Skull & Crossed Bones	Death, crucifixion.
Skull	Transitory nature of earthly life, penitence, mortality.
Sleeping Cherub	Innocence (usually on child's grave).
Smoke	Vanity, futility of seeking earthly glory.
Snail	Laziness, sin.
Snake, Encircled	Everlasting life in heaven. (Also called oroboros)
Spade	Mortality, Death.
Spider Web	Human frailty.
Star	Divine guidance.
Star of David	Unity, transformation.
Steps, 3 Tiered	Faith, Hope and Charity.
Sun Disc, Winged	Spirituality, everlasting life.
Sun Rising	Renewed life, resurrection.
Sun Setting	Death.
Sun Shining	Everlasting life.
Swallow	Motherhood, spirit of children, consolation.
Sword, Broken	Life cut short.
Sword, Inverted	Relinquishment of power, victory.
Sword, Sheathed	Temperance.
Sword	Military.
Swords, Crossed	Life lost in battle.
Tablets of the Decalogue	Containing the text from Exodus and Deuteronomy given to Moses on Mount Sinai as a symbol of the Old Covenant.
Tetragrammaton	Four Hebrew letters Y, H, W, H spelling the true name of God, reminder of God's omnipresence.
Thistle	Scottish descent, earthly sorrow, defiance.
Torch, Inverted	Life extinguished.
Torch	Immortality, purification, truth, wisdom.
Tree	Life, knowledge, the fall of man through sin, human fruition or frailty.
Tree Sprouting	Life everlasting.
Tree Stump	Life interrupted.
Tree Trunk	Brevity of life, number of broken branches can indicate deceased family members buried at that site.
Tree Trunk, Leaning	Short interrupted life, mourning.
Triangle	Holy Trinity.
Triqueta (3 interlocking circles or triangles)	Eternity, Trinity, popular motif on Celtic crosses.
Trumpet	Announcement of the resurrection or the soul's entrance into heaven.
Urn	Immortality, penitence, death of the body and its return to dust in the final resting-place.
Violet	Humility.
Weeping Willow	Mourning, grief, lamentation, sorrow.
Wheat	Body of Christ.
Wheel	Cycle of life, enlightenment, spiritual power.
Winged Face	Effigy of the deceased soul, the soul in flight.
Winged Hourglass	Fleetness of life, mortality.
Winged Skull	Flight of the soul from mortal man.
Wreath	Victory.
Wreath, of Roses	Heavenly joy and bliss.
Wreath on Skull	Victory of death over life.
Yin Yang Circle	Harmony, balance, birth and death
	Tree Symbolism
Apple Tree	Love ~~ Of slight build, lots of charm, appeal and attraction, pleasant aura, flirtatious, adventurous, sensitive, always in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, scientific talents, lives for today, a carefree philosopher with imagination.
Ash Tree	Ambition ~~ Uncommonly attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with its fate, can be egotistical, very reliable and trustworthy, prudent lover, sometimes brains rule over heart, but takes partnership very seriously.
Beech Tree	Creative ~~ Has good taste, concerned about its materialistic belongings, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, conscientious about keeping fit.
Birch Tree	Inspiration ~~ Vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm. Not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.
Cedar Tree	Confidence ~~ Of rare beauty, knows how to adapt, likes luxury, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, determined, impatient, wants to impress others, many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waiting for one true love, able to make quick decisions.
Chestnut Tree	Honesty ~~ Of unusual beauty, does not want to impress, well-developed sense of justice, vivacious, interested, a born diplomat, but irritated and sensitive in company often due to a lack of self-confidence, sometimes acts superior, feels misunderstood, loves only once, has difficulty finding a partner.
Cypress Tree	Faithfulness ~~ Strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give, happy, content, optimistic, desires adequate money and acknowledgment, hates loneliness, passionate lover who cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered, unruly, pedantic and careless.
Elm Tree	Noble ~~ Pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends to not forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, tends to a know-it-all attitude and making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.
Fig Tree	Sensible ~~ Very strong, a bit self-willed, independent, does not allow contradiction o arguments, loves life, family, children and animals, a bit of a butterfly, good sense of humor, likes idleness and laziness, practical talent, intelligent.
Fir Tree	Mystery ~~ Extraordinary taste, dignity, cultivated airs, loves anything beautiful, moody, stubborn, tends to egoism but care for those close, modest, very ambitious, talented, industrious, many lovers, many friends, many foes, very reliable.
Hazelnut Tree	Extraordinary ~~ Charming, undermining, very understanding, knows how to make an impression, active fighter for social cause, popular, moody and capricious lover, honest and tolerant partner, precise sense of judgment.
Hornbeam Tree	Good Taste ~~ Cool beauty; cares for his/her looks and condition; good taste; tends to egoism; makes life as comfortable as possible; leads reasonable, disciplined life; looks for kindness, an emotional partner and acknowledgment; dreams of unusual lovers; is seldom happy with his/her feelings; mistrusts most people; is never sure of his/her decisions; very conscientious.
Lime Tree	Doubt ~~ Accepts what life dishes out in a composed way, hates fighting, stress and labor, tends to laziness and idleness, soft and relenting, makes sacrifices for friends, many talents but not tenacious enough to make them blossom, often wailing and complaining, very jealous, loyal.
Maple Tree	Independent ~~ No ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-respecting, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, many complexes, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life wants to impress.
Oak Tree	Robust ~~ Courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not love change, keeps his/her feet on the ground, person of action.
Olive Tree	Wisdom ~~ Loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.
Pine Tree	Decisive ~~ Loves agreeable company, very robust, knows how to make life comfortable, very active, natural, good companion, but seldom friendly, falls easily in love but passion burns out quickly, gives up easily, will experience many disappointments until the ideal is found, trustworthy, practical.
Poplar Tree	Uncertainty ~~ Looks very decorative, no self-confidence, only courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, artistic nature, good organizer, tends to philosophize, reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.
Rowan Tree	Sensitivity ~~ Full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.
Walnut Tree	Passion ~~ Unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistical, aggressive, noble, broad horizons, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, uncompromising.
Weeping Willow	Melancholy ~~ Beautiful, but full of melancholy, attractive, very empathic, loves anything beautiful and tasteful, loves to travel, dreamer, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced, but is not easy to live with, demanding, good intuition, suffers in love but sometimes finds an anchoring partner.