Victorian Cemeteries and Headstones

It may sound odd to say but I've always been a fan of cemeteries.  I could spend hours strolling through them and looking at the headstones.  They are fascinating to say the least.  Each headstone tells a story, although brief, about the person who it pays tribute to.  There are endless images, quotes, and thought provoking messages to be found on headstones/tombstones.  Features found on them, just as with fashion, goes along with the time period that it was created.  The Victorian period is no exception to this rule.  Actually, the headstones from this time period are usually very distinctive.  Symbolism was used in many different ways on them. 

These are some typical types of symbols found on tombstones from the Victorian Era.

Tree stumps were common.  They typically were symbolic of a life cut short.

Weeping Willows were symbolic of mourning.

Angels of all shapes and sizes were also popular.

Hands pointing to heaven were another symbol of the Victorian Era.












Here is the link to a rather lengthy video of a presentation done by Janice Quick, historian to the Maplewood Historical Society in Minnesota.  The presentation is named Buttons and Victorian Headstones.  At first I found it an odd combination but after I started listening to it I realized that it all went together really well.  I remembered after watching it a superstition that was shared by a friend of mine who was from the south that made more sense to me after watching this.  "Rub a button as you pass by a cemetery for a good luck so as not to be the next one entered there."