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Cemetery Symbols: H is for Handshake
(photo by Tui Snider) What does a handshake mean on a headstone? HANDSHAKE: When my field guide to graveyards is complete, it will certainly include an entire chapter on the meaning of hands in...
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Cemetery Symbols: I is for Ivy
(photo by Tui Snider) What does ivy symbolize in a graveyard? IVY: Ivy is a common sight in cemeteries, whether depicted on gravestones or growing there as an actual plant. Because it is an evergreen,...
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Cemetery Symbols: J is for Jesus …in Cowboy Boots!
Jesus in Cowboy Boots in Paris, Texas (photo by Tui Snider) Jesus in Cowboy Boots? I had such a hard time coming up with a good cemetery symbol for the letter J that I decided to re-post my entry for...
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Cemetery Symbols: K is for Knights of Pythias
(photo by Tui Snider) What does a knight’s helmet surrounded by the letters F, C, and B mean? KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS: What started in 1864 as a secret society for government clerks, The Order of the...
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Cemetery Symbols: L is for Lion
(photo by Tui Snider) What do lions signify at a gravesite? LION: If you’ve ever seen “The Wizard of Oz,” then it probably comes as no surprise that the king of the jungle often represents courage when...
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Cemetery Symbols: M is Military (Confederate Camel & Thor’s Hammer)
(photo by Tui Snider) What’s the story behind military headstones? MILITARY: Headstones for fallen US soldiers are easy to spot since military specifications require them to be white marble slabs...
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Cemetery Symbols: N is for Names
(photo by Tui Snider) What can I learn from names in a cemetery? NAMES: Historic cemeteries are full of interesting names. “Texana Underwood,” as you can see in the photo above, for example. What a...
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Cemetery Symbols: O is for Obelisks
(photo by Tui Snider) What do obelisks represent? OBELISKS:Despite its origins in worshiping the sun god, Ra, obelisks are a common sight in historic cemeteries. So how did this ancient Egyptian form...
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Cemetery Symbols: P is for Pitcher
(photo by Tui Snider) What does a pitcher signify on a headstone? PITCHER: Pitchers mean different things depending on where you are. If you are visiting a Jewish cemetery, then a pitcher at a grave...
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Cemetery Symbols: T is for Torch
(photo by Tui Snider) What Do Upside Down Torches Mean on a Grave? UPSIDE DOWN TORCH: If you read my post for J (Jesus in Cowboy Boots!), then you may remember how that particular quirky monument also...
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