A Collection of Weeping Willows

Posted on April 23, 2023 Posted in CollectionsTagged Canada, Canadian Cemeteries, Cemetery, Cemetery art, Cemetery Blog, Cemetery Blogger, Cemetery Photography, Cemetery Symbols, Cemetery Travel, East Oakwood Cemetery, Funerary Art, Funerary Symbols, Gravestone, Graveyard, Headstone, Kinzie-Biehn Cemetery, Kitchener, Martin's Mennonite Meeting House Cemetery, Merrill Cemetery, Oakwood, Ontario, Pine Grove Cemetery, Roseneath, Sault Ste Marie, Southern Ontario, Symbolism, Taphophile, Tombstone, Waterloo, Weeping Willow, Willow tree2 Comments

While working on an upcoming project, I was going through my photo archive and found myself frequently stopping on the images of weeping willows. I have captured an interesting variety in the last few years. I love weeping willows, they have a very unique look. They are not common in my area, in the forests, or on graves.

So for today’s collection, I wanted to take a closer look at this cemetery symbol and share some of the different versions I have found and photographed during my cemetery walks.

As the name implies, weeping willows commonly symbolize grief and mourning. They are a very common Victorian-era cemetery symbol. Adopted from the Ancient Greeks, the weeping willow can represent immortality and life after death. Weeping willows are sometimes associated with the Underworld because, in Greek mythology, Orpheus brought with him a willow branch on his travels to the Underworld to save Eurydice from Hades.¹ The symbolism of immortality stems from the fact that willow trees are very hardy, and can survive heavy damage.

Pine Grove Cemetery, Sault Ste Marie ON ©2019

Merrill Cemetery, Roseneath ON ©2022

Martin’s Mennonite Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo ON ©2022

Kinzie-Biehn Cemetery, Kitchener ON ©2019

A variety of the weeping willow motif you might find is a weeping willow standing beside a gravestone. I love the idea of a gravestone on a gravestone.

Martin’s Mennonite Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo ON ©2022

East Oakwood Cemetery, Oakwood ON ©2022

Martin’s Mennonite Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo ON ©2022

Another variation you might come across is of a weeping willow and urn. The urn represents death itself, and the willow again symbolizes grief.² This motif was a popular gravestone symbol of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. You might also see weeping willows paired with a lamb or a cross.³ I have yet to come across these variations.

I noticed that the majority of the ones I found were in Southern Ontario. As I explore more Ontario cemeteries this summer, I hope I will come across a few more to photograph. I would love to find some more variations on the symbol. If you have any suggestions for where I might look, I would love to hear about them in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

References:

Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
Mastering Cemetery Iconography | The Academy at Penguin Hall
Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister

A Collection of Cemetery Flowers

Posted on March 26, 2023 Posted in CollectionsTagged A Collection of Cemetery Flowers, Begonias, Black-eyed Susans, Canada, Canadian Cemeteries, Canadian Taphophile, Cemetery, Cemetery Blog, Cemetery Blogger, Cemetery Flowers, Cemetery Photography, Cemetery Travel, Daylilies, Flowers, Hydrangeas, Lilac, Ontario, Quebec, Quebec Cemeteries, Spring, TaphophileLeave a comment

The winter weather seems to be dragging on this year. We got a lot of snow this winter in Northern Ontario, which I think is adding to this feeling. It feels like it will never all melt. I am trying to be optimistic, and am hoping to be hiking and visiting cemeteries soon. For the last couple of weeks, I have been focused on planning cemetery road trips, near and far. I am ready to get outside, it’s supposedly Spring after all!

The official first day of Spring was March 20th, so I wanted to share something a bit more colorful to help ring in the Spring season. Flower arrangements are often found on gravestones, in plastic, or made of fresh blooms. You might also find bright and vibrant cemetery flowers planted on graves or cemetery grounds. Each variety of flower holds a special meaning, that also varies by color. So for today’s collection, I wanted to share some cemetery flowers I have photographed over the years and take a look at what they might symbolize.

Shawinigan Cemetery, Shawinigan QC ©2012

These delicate light blue hydrangeas symbolize regret, apology, and forgiveness.¹ Seeing them at a graveside or planted on a grave intensifies that meaning for me.

Rea Cemetery, Mimosa ON ©2022

Daylilies bloom during the day and close up at night. Orange or yellow daylilies commonly symbolize love and devotion, as well as joy, beauty, and courage. A dark orange, or redder daylily like the one pictured, may symbolize a deep passion.²

Nairn Roman Catholic Cemetery, Nairn Centre ON ©2022

Lilac shrubs are one of the earliest plants to bloom in the Spring, and because of this, are thought to symbolize a fresh start and renewal.³ Pink lilacs commonly symbolize first love.⁴ I was able to capture this yellow swallowtail visiting this lilac bush. Yellow swallowtail butterflies represent grace and the free nature of the soul.⁵ Fitting since this photo was taken in a cemetery.

Warren Catholic Cemetery, also known as St. Thomas Cemetery, Warren ON ©2009

Black-eyed Susans are a common sight here in Northern Ontario. They are also sometimes called brown-eyed Susans because of their dark brown-to-black centers. Black-eyed Susans are thought to symbolize resilience and endurance as well as justice and truth.⁶

St. John’s Cemetery, Garson ON ©2022

Begonias have a lot of symbolism tied to them, but are commonly seen as a symbol of uniqueness, gratitude, and harmony, but can also be a symbol of caution. Yellow begonias are thought to be a representation of hope, kindness, or friendship.⁷

I am still working on learning to identify different types of plants, in bloom and on gravestones. I find it fascinating that there is a meaning for practically everything! Looking at all these colorful blooms has got me excited to be visiting cemeteries and enjoying the sunshine soon.

I hope wherever you are, you will be enjoying the sunshine soon as well if you’re not already. Happy Spring!

Thanks for reading!

References:

Hydrangea Meaning and Symbolism | Fresh Trimming
Interesting Daylily Flower Meaning And Symbolism You Want To Know | Florgeous
Lilac Flower Meaning And Symbolism | Florgeous
Language, Significance And Symbolism Of The Beautiful Lilacs For Sale | Agriforest Bio-Technologies Ltd.
Swallowtail Butterfly Natural History | Bug Under Glass
Black-eyed Susan Symbolism and Meaning | Symbolsage
Ultimate Guide to Begonia Flower Meaning and Symbolism | Petal Republic

A Collection of Doves

Posted on January 22, 2023 Posted in CollectionsTagged Canada, Canadian Cemeteries, Canadian Taphophile, Cemetery, Cemetery art, Cemetery Blog, Cemetery Blogger, Cemetery Photographer, Cemetery Photography, Cemetery Symbols, Cemetery Travel, Doves, Doves as a gravestone symbol, Eau Claire, Funerary Art, Funerary Symbols, Grave Marker, Gravestone, Gravestone Studies, Gravestone Symbol, Headstone, Huntsville, Massey, North Bay, Oakwood, Ontario, Ontario Cemeteries, Sturgeon Falls, Symbolism, Taphophile, Tombstone, WebbwoodLeave a comment

This week, I had originally planned on posting a cemetery recipe for Red Lantern Cheese dip, from the gravestone of Debra Ann Nelson. But, I had some issues finding the correct ingredients and the recipe didn’t turn out as expected. So I will continue my hunt for the elusive ingredients.

Instead, this week I will share a collection of Dove’s. If you have been following this blog for a little while, you may have noticed that I sometimes like to share collections of my favorite photos of some of the cemetery symbols I find on my cemetery walks. I have been photographing cemeteries for over 15 years, and in that time I have noticed some repetition of certain symbols and motifs. I find cemetery symbolism so interesting and love looking at what the different variations of a symbol mean.

Doves are not as common a symbol as lambs in Northern Ontario, but they represent similar ideas. Doves commonly are a symbol of peace, but when used in funerary art, they also represent innocence and the Holy Spirit. Doves may appear in many forms, such as sculpture or bas-relief. There are also different variations of doves, and each carries additional meaning.

St. John’s Anglican Cemetery, North Bay ON ©2019

Union Cemetery, Sturgeon Falls ON ©2021

East Oakwood Cemetery, Oakwood ON ©2022

Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Massey ON ©2022

Sometimes a dove may be depicted carrying something in its mouth. A dove with an olive branch in its mouth may represent peace. This symbolism also can be traced to Ancient Greece. A dove carrying a broken flower bud in its mouth often symbolizes a life cut short.

Grandview Cemetery, Massey ON ©2022

The position and angle of the dove may have some significance as well. A dove flying downward is thought to represent the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven.

Locks Cemetery, Huntsville ON ©2022

Another variation of a dove you might find, is a dove that looks like it might be dead. A dead dove sadly represents a life cut short. This variation may also be found lying in front of, or on top of a tree stump; which is also a symbol of a life cut short.

Webbwood Protestant Cemetery, Webbwood ON ©2022

St. John’s Anglican Cemetery, North Bay ON ©2019

Calvin Township Public Cemetery also known as Union Cemetery Calvin Township, Eau Claire ON ©2022

Have you come across a different variation of this symbol? I would love to hear about it in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

References:

Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister

A Collection of Tree Stones

Posted on November 27, 2022January 20, 2023 Posted in CollectionsTagged All Saints Anglican Cemetery, Calvin Township Public Cemetery, Canada, Canadian Cemeteries, Cemetery, Cemetery art, Cemetery Blog, Cemetery Blogger, Cemetery Photography, Cemetery Symbols, Collections, Eau Claire, Echo Bay, Funerary Art, Funerary Symbols, Gravestone, Headstone, Huntsville, Iconography, Kirkfield, Laird Cemetery, Lake View Cemetery, Northern Ontario, Old Greenwood Cemetery, Ontario, Sault Ste Marie, St. Mary's Cemetery, Sturgeon Falls, Symbolism, Taphophile, Tombstone, Tree Stone, Treestone, Union Cemetery, Woodmen of the WorldLeave a comment

While wandering a cemetery, have you ever come across a monument that is shaped and textured to look like a tree? Today, I want to take a closer look at these types of grave markers, called tree stones. Although they are a bit harder to come by in Northern Ontario, you can find them, and they are usually very easy to spot since they are so unique!

St. Mary’s Cemetery, Sturgeon Falls ON ©2009

Tree stones are often used as memorials for members of the Woodmen of the World, a fraternal organization. This fraternal order was started in 1890, and membership included those who worked in particularly dangerous professions. The organization offered health insurance and death benefits to its members, which included a tree stone tombstone.¹

Woodmen of the World tree stones, often bare the Woodmen crest, as well the tools of the trades like an axe and sledgehammer, representing the works of man. You may also find other symbols on tree stones like ivy or doves, representing friendship and peace, respectively.

Old Greenwood Cemetery, Sault Ste Marie ON ©2019

The severed branches or tree stump of a tree stone, Woodmen of the World or otherwise, often represents a life cut short. We often see this combined with other symbolism, like a lamb or dove laying in front of a stump. Lambs and doves are often found on the graves of small children, symbolizing innocence and purity.

All Saints Anglican Cemetery, Huntsville ON ©2022

Calvin Township Public Cemetery also known as Union Cemetery Calvin Township, Eau Claire ON ©2022

Sometimes the number of logs on a tree stone can be symbolic of the number of children the deceased had. A tree stone can also be seen as a representation of the tree of life, symbolizing knowledge.

Laird Cemetery, Echo Bay ON ©2019

This tree stone has the symbol of the Freemasons on it, another fraternal organization. Lake View Cemetery, Kirkfield ON ©2022

Union Cemetery, Sturgeon Falls ON ©2021

Have you ever come across a tree stone? Or maybe a Woodmen of the world memorial? I would love to hear about your finds, in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

References:

Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider

A Collection of Obelisks

Posted on August 21, 2022August 28, 2022 Posted in CollectionsTagged Algoma District, Canada, Canadian Cemeteries, Cemetery, Cemetery Blog, Cemetery Photography, Cemetery Symbols, Church of Mary Cemetery, East Oakwood Cemetery, Egyptian Revival, Egyptian Revival Architecture, Funerary Art, Funerary Symbols, Gordon Cemetery, Gore Bay, Gravestone, Headstone, Jocelyn, Kirkfield, Lake View Cemetery, Manitoulin District, Manitoulin Island, Monument, Mountain Maple Grove Cemetery, Oakwood, Obelisk, Ontario, Orillia, Sailor's Encampment, Saint Michael's Roman Catholic Cemetery, St. Josephs Island, Symbolism, Taphophile, Tombstone, Truncated Obelisk, Vaulted ObeliskLeave a comment

I am in the midst of working on a blog post about my adventures searching for the grave of Tom Thomson in Algonquin Park. I’m hoping to have it up in the next week or two. In the meantime, I thought I would take a look at some Egyptian revival architecture that can sometimes be found in cemeteries, more specifically—obelisks.

Obelisks are Egyptian in origin, but became a popular Christian funerary symbol. They are now a common sight in most cemeteries. I have found quite a few in my cemetery travels and wanted to share some of them with you today.

In Understanding Cemetery Symbols, Tui Snider notes that obelisks became popular symbols after Napoleon invaded Egypt in the late 1700s. An obelisk is thought to represent a ray of light, but it can also symbolize focused spiritual goals, with the wide base narrowing to a point, symbolizing the deceased reuniting with God at death, and the two becoming one.

Obelisk. East Oakwood Cemetery, Oakwood ON ©2022
An obelisk, among other tombstones. Lake View Cemetery, Kirkfield ON ©2022
Obelisk. Gordon Cemetery, Gore Bay ON ©2021

Different variations of obelisks can be found throughout a cemetery. For example, Truncated obelisks do not come to a sharp point at the top, but are flat or topped with another symbol like a cross, urn or an orb.

Truncated obelisk, topped with what might be an upside down acorn. Mountain Maple Grove Cemetery, Jocelyn ON ©2022
Massive truncated obelisk, topped with a latin cross. Saint Michael’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Orillia ON ©2017

Obelisks can sometimes be found at the center of a family plot, representing the family’s connection to God. They are particularly well suited for this, as there is generally a lot of room on all four sides of the stone to inscribe the names of family members.

Truncated obelisk, topped with a latin cross. The obelisk sits in the centre of a family plot. Church of Mary Cemetery, Sailor’s Encampment ON ©2022

You might also find vaulted obelisks. These stones have points on all four sides at the top instead of coming to one point.

Vaulted obelisk. Coldsprings Cemetery, Coldsprings ON ©2021
Vaulted obelisk. Coldsprings Cemetery, Coldsprings ON ©2021

References:

Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister

A Collection of Crosses

Posted on June 14, 2022August 28, 2022 Posted in CollectionsTagged Agony Cross, Blezard Valley, Blezard Valley Cemetery, Botonee cross, Canada, Canadian Cemeteries, Cartier, Celtic Cross, Cemetery Blog, Cemetery Photography, Cemetery Symbols, Chelmsford, Christian, Christogram, Congé Cross, Cross, Cross of Suffering, Crucifix, Eastern Cross, Funeral Art, Funerary Symbols, Glory Cross, Hanmer, Huntsville, Iconography, Latin Cross, Lavigne, Locks Cemetery, Nipissing Union Cemetery, Northern Ontario, Notre Dame De Lavigne Cemetery, Ontario, Orillia, Pointed Cross, Portate Cross, Protestant Cross, Rayed Cross, Religious Symbol, St. Francois Xavier Graveyard, St. Jacques Cemetery, St. Joseph Cemetery, Symbolism, Taphophile, Tui Snider, Whitefish, Whitefish Catholic Cemetery, Whitefish Public CemeteryLeave a comment

Crosses have to be the most easily recognizable and common symbol found in cemeteries and funerary art. There are so many variations of this Christian religious symbol. Since crosses are so common, you may think if you have seen one, you’ve seen them all—but I would beg to differ!

Today I wanted to take a closer look at this funerary symbol and share some of the many crosses I have photographed over the years.

First off, let’s look at the difference between a cross and a crucifix, as they are not the same thing. A crucifix shows the body of Jesus nailed to it, while a cross does not.

A crucifix on a cross. St. Jacques Cemetery, Hanmer ON ©2021

Four crosses. St. Francois Xavier Graveyard, Cartier ON ©2021

A Latin cross is probably the most common cross found in cemeteries. This cross has no embellishments. It is sometimes called a Protestant cross, because it can represent Jesus as risen, instead of focusing on his suffering on the cross.

A Latin cross. Blezard Valley Cemetery, Blezard Valley ON ©2021

A Botonee cross has a trefoil, three lobes, at each end that symbolizes the holy trinity.

A Botonee cross. Nipissing union Cemetery, Township of Nipissing ON ©2019

A Celtic cross is easily recognizable. It usually has a Celtic knot pattern engraved on it and also includes a nimbus, a distinctive circle that represents the union of heaven and earth. These crosses are often found at the graves of those with Irish heritage.

In the example below you can also see the letters IHS in the center. This is sometimes called a Christogram. There are a couple of different theories about what the letters IHS stand for. One theory is that it is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase “in hoc signs vines” (In this sign you will conquer), another line of thought is that it’s an abbreviation of the Latin phrase “Jesus Hominum Salvator” (Jesus, Saviour of Men). According to Doug Keister’s book Stories in Stone: A field guide to cemetery symbolism and iconography, these letters are the first three letters of Jesus’ name using the Greek alphabet.

A Celtic cross with a Christogram in the centre. Saint Michael’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Orilla ON ©2017

A Congé cross is a variation of the Latin cross, where the ends of the arms flare out slightly.

A Congé cross. Whitefish Public Cemetery, Whitefish ON ©2011

A Glory cross, sometimes called a Rayed cross, has rays emanating from its center that symbolize the glory of God.

A glory cross. St. Francois Xavier Graveyard, Cartier ON ©2021

A glory cross placed at a grave. Notre Dame De Lavigne Cemetery, Lavigne ON ©2016

Below is an example of an Eastern crucifix on a white Latin cross. The Eastern cross is easily recognizable by its two horizontal cross bars, and one slanted one. This cross is a symbol of Eastern Orthodox religions. This one would be considered a crucifix, as it has the tortured body of Jesus nailed to it.

An Eastern crucifix on a white Latin cross. St. Joseph Cemetery, Chelmsford ON ©2022

An Agony cross has sharp points at the end of each arm. This is said to represent the suffering or agony, that Jesus endured. This cross is sometimes called a pointed cross or a cross of suffering.

An Agony cross. Whitefish Catholic Cemetery, Whitefish ON ©2021

A Portate cross is a cross that is angled diagonally. It’s angled the way someone would carry it over their shoulder to drag it.

A Portate cross. Locks Cemetery, Huntsville ON ©2022

References:

Stories in Stone: A field guide to cemetery symbolism and iconography by Doug Keister
Understanding Cemetery Symbols A field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
Understanding Cemetery Crosses | Billion Graves
Christian cross variants | Wikipedia

A Collection of Books

Posted on May 10, 2022August 28, 2022 Posted in CollectionsTagged Books, Canada, Canadian Cemeteries, Cemetery, Cemetery Blog, Cemetery Photography, Cemetery Symbols, Doon Presbyterian Cemetery, Funerary Art, Funerary Symbols, Gordon Cemetery, Gore Bay, Gravestone, Headstone, Huntsville, Iconography, Kitchener, Lasalle Cemetery, Locks Cemetery, Manitoulin Island, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Southern Ontario, Sturgeon Falls, Sudbury, Symbolism, Taphophile, Tombstone, Union Cemetery2 Comments

I love books! I am a big reader and have a large book collection at home, but I love finding stone books among the tombstones while wandering a cemetery. I find them very interesting and love trying to interpret what they mean.

Books can be both decorative or a representation of something. You can sometimes find a book being used as a decorative device to display the name of the deceased along with the birth and death dates. An open book can sometimes represent the human heart, as in it’s emotions are open to the world. An open book may also symbolize a life that has been cut short, before getting to the last page. Another variation of this is an open book with a cloth draped across it. This also represents a life cut short, the veil of death having bookmarked the person’s last chapter before the book is finished being written. A closed book might represent a long life, lived to the last chapter.

Any book found in a cemetery may represent the bible. Sometimes you may even find the words “Holy Bible” engraved on the book.

In my experience, books are not as common as some other funerary symbols, like hands and lambs. I love to photograph them when I do find them. I wanted to share some of my favorites with you today.

References:

Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister

A Collection of Hands

Posted on April 10, 2022January 20, 2023 Posted in CollectionsTagged Canadian Cemeteries, Cemetery, Cemetery art, Cemetery Blog, Cemetery Blogger, Cemetery Photographer, Cemetery Photography, Cemetery Symbols, Cemetery Travels, Clasped Hands, Funerary Art, Funerary Symbols, Gravestone, Hands, Handshake, Headstone, Marital Handshake, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Symbolism, Taphophile, Tombstone4 Comments

One of my favorite cemetery symbols are hands. They can represent so many things from only how they are positioned. I also find them beautifully detailed, and they have a lot to say. Hands are a very common symbol in funerary art and can be found in almost any cemetery.

I have photographed many over the years, ranging from very simple to very detailed, and wanted to share some of them with you today.

A hand pointing upward often represents going up to heaven. You may also find a hand pointing down, which can look a little odd, but it does not mean what you may have first thought. A hand pointing down usually represents a sudden or unexpected death. Clasped hands or praying hands often represent devotion but can also be seen as a plea for eternal life.

Handshakes are a very common variation and also can have a few different meanings. When the handshake depicts limp fingers held by a firm handshake, this often represents the deceased being welcomed to heaven by loved ones or maybe even God. When one finger is extended, it is a masonic handshake, meaning the deceased was a member of the Freemasons. You may also find a double masonic handshake, where one finger is extended on each of the hands. This is meant to resemble the square & compass, the emblem of the Freemasons. You should also look closely at the wrists of the hands, this can also give more clues. If both hands look masculine, this could represent fraternal brotherhood. If one of the cuffs is more feminine and one more masculine, this is most likely a marital handshake, to indicate the deceased was married.

When you find a hand holding a book, that book is often meant to be the bible. Sometimes it is more obvious, as it may have “holy bible” inscribed on it.

References:

Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography by Douglas Keister

A Collection of Lambs

Posted on February 27, 2022January 20, 2023 Posted in CollectionsTagged Canada, Canadian Cemeteries, Capreol, Capreol Cemetery, Cemetery, Cemetery Blog, Cemetery Blogger, Cemetery Photographer, Cemetery Photography, Cemetery Symbols, Cemetery Travel, Commanda Cemetery, Doon Presbyterian Cemetery, Eyre Cemetery, Funerary Art, Funerary Symbols, Gravestone, Headstone, Iconography, Kitchener, Lamb, Lambs, Lasalle Cemetery, Nipissing Township, Nipissing Union Cemetery, North Bay, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Pioneer Cemetery, Stories in Stone, Sudbury, Symbolism, Taphophile, Terrace Lawn Cemetery, Tombstones2 Comments

I love exploring cemeteries and looking at the different symbols used on tombstones. If you spend a lot of time in cemeteries, especially in Northern Ontario, you will start to notice the repetition of certain symbols and motifs. One of the most common symbols I find, is the lamb.

Lambs represent innocence and sacrifice, as they were often used in sacrificial ceremonies in ancient times¹. Most often you will find lambs on the gravestones of infants and children, as Jesus is often depicted as a Shepherd, and also known as the “lamb of God”. Some variations can be found with lamb symbolism. A robed figure with a standing lamb beside it most often represents John the Baptist, who had called Jesus the “lamb of God”¹. A lamb with a cross is known to represent the Lamb of God or Agnus Dei², symbolizing the suffering of Christ as he sacrificed himself for the sins of mankind. Several other symbols may be found with a lamb to symbolize the lamb of God – such as a banner, halo, shepherds crook, and alpha and/or omega symbols². A single seated lamb symbolizes an innocent soul. A seated lamb can sometimes be found sitting in front of a tree stump, this often symbolizes a life cut short.

Finding lambs is often sad, but they are a beautiful symbol. I have photographed many over the years and wanted to share some of them with you today.

References:

Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography by Douglas Keister

A Collection of Handmade Stones

Posted on January 17, 2022January 20, 2023 Posted in CollectionsTagged Blezard Valley, Blezard Valley Cemetery, Britt, Cadillac, Cadillac Cemetery, Canada, Canadian Cemeteries, Cemetery, Cemetery Blog, Cemetery Blogger, Cemetery Photographer, Cemetery Photography, Cemetery Travel, Cemetery Travels, Chute-Saint-Philippe, Chute-Saint-Philippe Cemetery, French River, Gravestone, Handmade, Handmade Stones, Headstone, Holy Family Roman Catholic New Cemetery, Long Lake Cemetery, Northern Ontario, Notre Dame de Lourdes Cemetery, Ontario, Quebec, Sudbury, Taphophile, Timmins, Timmins Memorial Cemetery, Tombstones2 Comments

If you spend a lot of time in cemeteries, especially in Northern Ontario, you will start to notice the repetition of certain symbols and motifs. In Ontario and Quebec, something I have come across frequently is handmade stones.

These stones have been lovingly hand-poured in cement, adorned with crucifixes, stones, and other baubles, and usually have hand lettering. They are beautiful representations of love for those who have passed. There could be many reasons why a handmade stone was created, and each one is unique and beautiful with its own charm.

I love finding handmade stones and have photographed many over the years. I wanted to share some of them with you.