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