Grave Matters: A Show of Hands

A lot of times, when I'm out and about in a cemetery, I come across graves with hands carved on them. Hands are a common symbol in the world of iconography, but ones that play an important part.

It all began many thousands of years ago, when Christianity was still in it's infancy. Owing to a misreading of the book of Exodus, showing any pictorial, or written description of God was strictly forbidden. It comes to us from Chapter 20, Verse 4 of the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament after Moses has led his people out Egypt and climbed to the summit of Mt. Sinai to converse with God.

"Thou shalt not make unto thee, any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water underneath the earth."

Taken quite literally at the time, it didn't leave a lot of wiggle room when it came to answering the question what does God look like? So here was the problem. We want to show God, but how can we do it if it's not allowed?

Well, there are other ways to reference God, specifically, passages in the bible that reference the hand of God coming down, or the arm of God, so there was a way around it and much later it was was adapted into usage on the gravestones we see today and of the images of hands, there are three which are probably the most common. A hand coming down, a hand pointing up, or a pair of hands clasped together.


Here we have to images of hands pointing upwards. When seen on a gravestone, this denotes that the soul of the person buried here has gone up to Heaven. In the case of member of the clergy, this can also be seen as the "Manus Dei" if two fingers of the hand are pointing upwards.

On the tombstone below, note the Gothic touches as well as the clusters of oak leaves and acorns. These are symbolic references to truth and spiritual power in times of adversity. They can also be seen as a symbol of birth and renewal as oaks grow from the acorns drop to the ground and in turn spawn new trees. The stone above shows a hand pointing towards a star. In the iconographic world, a star or stars represent the guidance of the divine, and in this case, because it's a single star, it's also a reference to the Star of the East, or the star that guided the three wise men to the manger when Jesus was born.

The next two headstones show hands coming down. Again, this is a symbol of the hand of God, as sometimes this type of hand is depcited as coming from a group of clouds. The stone on the left also has acorns on each side of the wrist, again a reference to truth and spiritual strength.

The hand on the right it is along the same lines, the only difference being that instead of acorns, the hand is flanked by a pair of tassles, which are mostly just a decorative touch and hold no reference to the bible. What both have in common are a chain that appears broken, with one link clasped in the hand. This is a reference to the chains or bonds of holy matrimony that have been broken by the death of the person, but will be restored in heaven.

Finally, we come to hand clasped together as seen in these next images. Note closely that one is masculine in appearance and the other feminine. The way to tell this is to look closely at the cuffs of the sleeves. A man's cuff should have a wider width or a button on it, while the woman's will most likely appear to be made of lace. On these headstones, the left hand is the woman's and the right is the man's.


















In some cases however, the sleeve has no detail or is considered gender neutral. If this is the case, then it can be interpreted as a welcome from Heaven, or a farewell to earthly possessions or relationships.

These last two images are two rarities that I've come across. Both are unusual because the hand has been carved with the palm facing out rather than inwards as is common on most graves, while below it is an open book with no text. This device can be used in one of two ways, either as a bible, with a piece of scripture or verse carved into it's face, or as a record of the birth and death dates of the deceased.

The shaft on the right is one that I came across in an Masonic Cemetery near Olympia. Here we see, carved into the shaft of the obelisk, a hand with a heart in the palm with three links of chain above it. The heart is a powerful symbol in iconography denoting the most deepest feelings of human emotion and of the love of God. Here the hand is also clearly male if we take a closer look at the cuff. The chain in use here however is not a symbol of matrimony, but rather a symbol used by the Odd Fellows and the Masons which share a number of the same symbols. To tell whether the person was a Mason or an Odd Fellow, look closely at the chain for the initials F, L, and T inside the links which stand for Friendship, Love and Truth.

So the next time you find yourself in a cemetery, take a look around for a show of hands, and you'll be amazed at how many there are.

Grave Matters: The unusual. Part 2

It all began in 1831. It was in this year that Mt Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts became the first landscaped and designed cemetery in the America. A place not just for the dead, but created for the enjoyment of the living. Inspired by Paris' Pere La Chaise cemetery it was the first to follow the natural contours of the landscape with winding roads and vistas pleasing to the eye with flowers and trees carefully planted to bring out the beauty of the grounds. Immensely popular with the public, soon landscaped cemeteries became the norm for most locations.

It also marked a drastic change in the appearance of tombstones and graves. No longer thin, upright pieces of cold slate marked with dire warnings for the living and cold, staring death's heads, carvers and sculptors now went to work creating works of art in marble, iron, bronze, and granite. They also came up with a lot of the iconography we see today. These are a few more of the unusual standouts I've come across over the last five years.

This first carving comes from the small California Mission town of San Juan Bautista, and is part of a grave stone of a ten year old boy who died in 1874. Here we have a man leaning on a pedestal, head in hand with signs of obvious grief while behind him is a weeping willow, a classic 19th century symbol of immortality because the tree will spring back to life if the branches are pruned off. Even cut down to a mere stump, a willow will always begin regrowing. Also behind is a Cypress tree which has been common in cemeteries going back as far as early Christian and Pagan times and used in Greek and Roman times as well because of it's association with Hades and or Pluto, the god of the underworld. In modern times, the Cypress represents the finality of death. Once it is cut down it will never regrow. Here, both symbols represented tell the viewer that the life on earth has been cut short, but, like the willow, there is also everlasting life even in the depths of grief.

Lakeview Cemetery on Seattle's Capital Hill has been a landmark since it's first burial in 1872. Here, visitors can wander about a beautifully landscaped setting and view the last resting places of Seattle's earliest and most famous families. Names like Denny, Yesler, Leary, Maynard, and others who helped shaped the city are here, however most visitors come only to see the grave site of it's two most famous burials, martial artist Bruce Lee and his son Brandon. For those who take the time however to check out the rest of the cemetery, there is always this amazing grave. Here carved out of single granite boulder and graced with a marble insert of a piano, is Ada Plachy who died in 1895 complete even down to a scroll of music on the holder. While most people think that the piano is of the Grand type, it's actually a style known as a Fortepiano, coming from the Italian words for loud and soft. This type of piano was popular mostly in the late 18th century until the late 19th century when rapid changes in the design and construction reduced it's popularity.

Another striking monument from Lakeview Cemetery, is this statue marking the last resting place of a Klondike miner. This is a prominent monument in the cemetery at the base of a hill. In his right hand he holds a shovel which at it's base rests a gold pan which was a common tool for surface or placer mining used to extract gold from streams and rivers. On his left side curled at his feet is his trusted canine companion. Behind him is a large Holly tree. Holly is a common part of the cemetery landscape and is said to be the wood used to build the cross upon which Christ was crucified, and also as a symbol of the Passion. Because it's an evergreen it is also a referal to immortality.

The Hauberg monument, located in the very back of Lakeview cemetery remains one of my favorites, in terms of unusual and modern design. It owes its uniqueness to the world of Northwest native art and was created to resemble a Haida bentwood box. Bentwood boxes are created by splitting a single piece of cedar wood in key points and then steaming it until it becomes pilable enough to bend around a form after which it is pegged or glued with resin. Typically they were then painted or carved with designs from native mythology or a totem symbol, which is this case the etching on the granite is in the form of a bear.

The last grave for today's posting is the grave of Carlo Bossi and his wife Petronilla. Located in Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria BC, this is a highlight of the self guided tour that is offered. Carlo was born in the Lombardy region of Italy and came to Victoria by way of New York after fleeing conscription in the Austrian Army. Upon arriving in Victoria, Carlo became a stone mason and helped to create downtown Victoria and later with his brother Giacomo became a merchant which gave them wealth enough to build the Osborne house on Blanshard and Pandora Sts. What's notable about this grave, aside from the profiles of the couple, is the garland of flowers underneath them. Carlo's boasts an easter or Madonna lily, a symbol of casting off wordly possessions in pursuit of heavenly qualities, while Petronilla's garland contains carvings of the Passion Flower. First discovered by the Spanish Conquistadores in Central America, the flower was no known in Europe until it's introuduction in Rome in 1568. Immensely popular is has come to represent the Passion, Redemption and Cruxifiction of Jesus. Also notable is the central carving containing a pick ax, shovel and ax which relates to Carlo's early days in construction.

Grave Matters: The unusual

Once in awhile, while I'm walking about a cemetery, I come across a grave or two that are so unique, so different that I'll just stand there and take in every piece of detail. These are three of the most unusual graves I've come across. The first two images are from California cemeteries and both have representations of a sleeping child incorporated into their design, while the last is from Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

This first one is from the small town of Santa Margarita, midway between San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles on the Central Coast. My first time trying to find it however, I got lost and with time waning I sadly had to make my way back to Arroyo Grande. On my second attempt however, I managed to find out where I went wrong (I bore left instead of right) and after a short drive outside of the town I finally came across it. The cemetery is very small, and really didn;t have much in the way of anything, expect for this grave. What catches the eye here is the clamshell which acts as a bed for the sleeping child, and the peace and serenity on the child's face is very well carved and the overall amount of detail is incredible. While I wasn't very happy with the way the overall picture came out once I got back and downloaded it, I still felt it was worth posting simply because it's so very out of the ordinary of childrens graves.

This second gravestone is one I ran across in Sacramento at Old City Cemetery. Old City is simply put, incredible. The day I was there, every flower and every rose on every grave was in full bloom and in the early morning hour with the dappled sunlight coming through the trees it made an excellent first impression. The headstones, statues and tombs were rich with remarkable detail, and well cared for and each grave I stopped to take a picture at had something in the way to offer in the way of iconography. When I came across this monument, I was stunned by the wealth of detail. Everything from the facial features, to the small pillow that the child rests upon was a feast for the eyes.




This last grave is from Ross Bay Cemetery in
Victoria BC. I've been to Ross Bay now three times, and photographed it in three different seasons. It's an amazing place, full of history, elaborate and very well cared for, in fact the day I was there I watched a maintenance worker gently washing a Celtic cross with nothing more than soap and water. This gravestone is one of my favorites on the small scale. The picture actually makes it look larger than it is, as up close, it's a mere 2 ft tall, but it's packed with detail, from the rope work around the seat of the chair to the small shoes and socks placed on the seat. It's a stunning visual reminder of how high the mortality rate was among children in the days before modern medicine. But what truly sticks with me the most about this gravestone, is it's simple one line epitaph, "a little hero.

Grave Matters: Cherubs pt. 2

Pictured here are two more examples of Cherubim, one from a cemetery on the Central Coast of California, and the other from a cemetery near Olympia, Washington. In this case, both are seen standing, with one on clouds, and the other with small branch behind the leg to provide stability to the statue, and both were carved as female figures in downward gaze with a small bouquet of flowers carried in the right hand, while with the left they scatter the blossoms over the grave of the person. In some cases the flowers in the bouquets are either roses or lily and represent the purity and innocence of the person interred below.

Grave Matters: Cherubs

Along with lambs, and doves, cherubs are also used as visual markers on a child's headstone. Cherubs, or Cherubim, are the second part of the first sphere in the order of angels, the first being the Seraphim. In early symbolism, they were known as the bearers of the Throne of God, and they were said to have four wings and four faces. Their name comes to us from the Ancient Assyrian word "Karibu", or "One who intercedes", and they were sent by God to guard the way to the tree of life and were ruled by the archangels Gabriel, Raphael, and Satan, the prince of darkness and evil who was an archangel before his downfall and casting into Hell to watch over the spirits of the damnned.

Pictured here is a stunning representation of a Cherubim that I stumbled upon in a cemetery in San Luis Obispo. Exquistely carved, his downward gaze shows him to be deep in thoughtfulness as he leans upon an inverted torch which symbolizes that while the flame of life is no longer visible here, it still burns in the other world.

Grave Matters: The Lamb

The second most popular and frequent symbol on a child's grave is the lamb. Lambs are used to denote innocence and can be commonly found on infants graves. They are also a reference to Christ as found in the New Testament in the Book of John, chapter 1, verse 29 "Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world".

Christ is also referred to as the Shepherd in the bible for the way he led his flock of believers, and it also has ties the the Vernal or Spring Equinox when a lamb would be sacrificed during Easter, Passover or Ramadan in ceremonial rites. The grave pictured here is one from a local Washington cemetery. What makes this representation so unique is that it is made from cast Zinc, or "White Bronze. Gravestones such as this were commonly manufactured and sold through mail order catalogs such as Sears, Roebuck and Co, or they could also be ordered from the mortician who would then place the order during the arrangement process.

Grave Matters: Doves

Probably the most common animal found in any cemetery is that of the dove. Used to denote innocence and a representation of the holy trinity, they usually mark the graves of children, but they can also be found on adult headstones as well.

Typically the sculpture is three dimensional and perched on top of the marker if it's a child's grave. In other forms, the dove can be carved to make it appear dead, which is a symbol of the shortness of life. On an adult headstone, it is more common to see them in relief form and usually with the head pointed downwards above a set of gates that represent the gates to the heavenly kingdom and in it's beak it sometimes holds an olive branch which is taken from the Old Testament story of Noah who sent out two birds, a dove and a crow to see if the waters of the flood had abated yet.

In this picture from a local cemetery I took, here we see the dove perched on top of the grave of a child who died at the age of three. On the side of the epitaph is a calla lily which when found on a gravestone can represent either marriage, if the person is an adult, or beauty of the highest order and it too is a common symbol in the cemetery.