~ The Five Classes of Stones ~

~ The Five Classes of Stones ~

The ideas suggested by the carving of the gravestones can be divided into five classes: (Gravestones 1967:112-124)

I. A Recognition of the flight of time

II. The certainty of death and warnings to the living

III. The occupation of the deceased or his station in life

IV. The Christian life

V. The resurrection of the body and activities of the redeemed soul

I. A Recognition of the Flight of Time - The most frequently used carving for the recognition of the passing of time was the hourglass. Occasionally the symbolism is strengthened by adding wings to the hourglass to suggest the idea of flight. Father time himself is usually depicted as an old man with a beard and scythe and an hourglass. Sometimes the scythe alone represents the passage of time.

The best examples I have found in this class of stones (figures 1 & 2 below) were memorials to the 3 children of James and Mary Lindall and a Mr. Timothy Lindall which were both found at the Burying Point in Salem, Massachusetts. Standing side by side both stones depict the hourglass, father time and the morbid skeleton. The stone of the Lindall children show father time swinging the scythe low as though indicating he has cut short the lives of 3 young children, as opposed to the older Timothy Lindall stone where father time is casually carrying the scythe on his shoulder as though he is accepting the completion of lifes work.

Figure 1 Figure 2

II. The Certainty of Death and Warnings to the Living - The most common of these warnings was the deaths head, sometimes with and sometimes without wings. The Hannah Bartlett stone found at the Burying Point, in Salem, Massachusetts (figure 3 below) shows the deaths head with an hourglass on his head perhaps indicating that death comes to us all in time.

Figure 3 Figure 4

The least attractive is the skull and crossbones as shown on the John Bartlett stone found in Plymouth, Massachusetts (figure 4 above). A skull without wings is rarely found.

Arrows, darts, even javelins indicate death as a reminder of the battles fought with the Indians. Items depicting the disposition of the body such as coffins usually closed (figure 5 below), as in the stone of the 5 Jacobs children found in Canterbury, Connecticut, sometimes opened showing the deceased as in the Roswell Ensworth stone (figure 6 below), found in South Canterbury, Connecticut, were used from the earliest days.

Figure 5 Figure 6

III. The Occupation of the Deceased or his Station of Life - The first in importance in this category was the Coat of Arms, which were a great pride to the people. This was so greatly desired by the early settlers that a lucrative business of establishing Coats of Arms was extremely successful in Boston. The are usually found on flat stones such as tombstones or tables stones of the rich as seen in the John Gardine stone (figure 7 below) and the Guldon Saltonstall stone (figure 8) both found in New London, Connecticut.

Figure 7 Figure 8

Military items such as uniforms denoted a soldier, or a ship might be used for a sea-captain or mariner or for honorable service in the Navy as seen in the stones of Captain Robert Niles found in Norwich, Connecticut (figure 9) and Captain Chandler Holmes Jr. found in Plymouth, Massachusetts (figure 10) both below.

Figure 9 Figure 10

Ministers can be recognized by the wearing of a collar, a gown or a robe with bands as in the stone of Pastor Solomon Pain found in Canterbury, Connecticut (figure 11) and the John Hough stone found in Plainfield, Connecticut (figure 12).

Figure 11 Figure 12

The scallop shell used by the pilgrims as a cup, spoon and dish represents earthly pilgrimage and is usually used as a part of a border design as in the Thomas Faunce stone found in Salem, Massachusetts (figure 13). It represented to them their crusade, and was adopted later on their coat of armor. Also included in this category would be other items such as symbols referring to some individual event in a persons life such as an amputation of a limb.

Figure 13

IV. The Christian Life - The grapevine is the emblem of Christ. 'I am the true vine, and my father is the cultivator.' (Bible John 15:1) 'I am the true vine, you are the branches,' (Bible John 15:5) A church is often referred to as a vineyard, and it's congregation the vine. Vines are used extensively as a border on the Daniel Gordon stone (figure 14 below) found in Plainfield, Connecticut.

When bunches of grapes are used, as seen in the Anne Perkins stone found in Norwich, Connecticut (figure 15 below), and the James Dean stone found in Plainfield, Connecticut, (figure 16 below) and mixed with corn they symbolize the body of Christ.

When birds are placed on grapevines it signifies the soul partaking of celestial food. An example of this was found on the Mary Langson stone (figure 17 below) located in Scotland, Connecticut. Doves are typically used as a sign of Christian consistency and devotion.

Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 16 Figure 17

V. Resurrection of the Body & Activities of the Redeemed Soul - Fruit borders, rarely used without pomegranates were used to foretell of the resurrection. The fig was often used in combination with fruit borders and denoted prosperity and happiness in the world to come. These are said to bring to mind the land of milk and honey or the promised land. The pillars in Solomon's temple were said to have pomegranates carved on them. The stone of Sarah Soley (figure 18 below) found in New London, Connecticut uses pomegranates in the borders.

Figure 18 Figure 19 Figure 20

The trumpet was used to remind us of the scriptural verse 'For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed' (Bible 1 Cor 15:52) The Susanna Hinkley stone (figure 19 above) found in Barnstable, Massachusetts and the Richard Holmes stone (figure 20 above) found in Plymouth, Massachusetts both depict a winged, airborne cherub blowing the trumpet of resurrection. In the Hinckley stone a banner comes forth from the trumpet which reads, 'wake ye dead'.

The rising sun or the elevated torch were also used to symbolize the resurrection or an ascending to a higher plane. The stone of the 3 Storey Children (figure 21 below) found in Salem, Massachusetts displays 3 setting suns. The setting sun or lowered torch refer to the close of the earthly pilgrimage. A flame coming from the top of an urn was used to depict the soul separating from the ashes, entering into a higher plane.

The peacock which is rare, is used to represent the resurrection in incorruptibility, due to the fabled incorruptibility of the flesh, 'it was sown in corruption but raised in incorruption'. (Bible 1 Cor 15:43) It was also the emblem of the glories of Heaven.

The world, sun, moon and stars represent the glory of a new life. The unreadable stone (figure 22 below) found in Plainfield, Connecticut uses this beneath the winged effigy as a secondary theme. 'And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away. (Bible Rev 21:1)

The most frequently used of all the symbols concerning the resurrection is the redeemed spirit emerging from the tomb or floating in space. The Betsy Shaw stone (figure 23 below) found in Plymouth, Massachusetts shows the emergence of the winged cherub from the tomb.

Figure 21 Figure 22 Figure 23

The most daring of all stones carved during this period is said to be the stone of Charles Bardin found in Newport, Rhode Island. This stone depicts the Lord Almighty above the clouds with outstretched arms ready to receive the incoming soul. 'Happy are the pure in heart, since they will see God.' (Bible Mat 5:8)

Background on Gravestones Gravestone Motifs Gravestone Symbology

The Five Classes of Gravestones Alphabetical Listing of Gravestone Symbols

Light House Clock Stone Concord’s Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Salem’s Burying Point Cemetery

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