18th Century Grave Emblems

Reminders of Death

• Perhaps the most common theme among all the imagery of 18th century graves is the reminder of death, sometimes expressed in words and most often in the symbolism carved on the gravestone. A characteristic of the earliest gravestones of the l700's is the presence of grim, winged skulls. These are almost always accompanied with crossed bones, depictions of hour glasses, and sometimes of flames. The pessimistic views of Puritanical New Englanders were expressed in these images.

Elaborate Borders

• For the first portion of the l8th century, rectangular or rounded gravestones were nearly always adorned with elaborate, decorative borders depicting stylized versions of faces, flames. leaves, abstracts and more. While no absolute interpretation of the designs has been attempted, the border may have indicated the limitations of human life. As the century progressed, the borders often became less pronounced.

Skulls Change

• Also indicating a changed attitude toward death, skulls depicted on 18th century graves became less terrifying and gradually gave way to rounded, almost human, abstract heads. The bared teeth common on earlier skull images disappeared and the deeply gouged eyes evolved into more lifelike orbs. The wings surrounding the face continued to appear for a great many years but changed from small, incised and sharp lines to softer, almost angelic wings.

Additional Changes

• Among the more noticable changes was the adaptation of long hair surrounding the human image, usually considered a substitute for wings. Some interpret the hair as an indication of the power to reach heaven. Even in New England, where Puritanical beliefs persisted, gravestone images became less grim and contained more references to nature such as willows and other trees as well as flowers. Wings were depicted with greater emphasis on size and strength, possibly indicating the greater likelihood of reaching heaven.

Variations

• While the earliest American settlers, especially in New England, shared relatively similar beliefs, thousands were not part of the Puritan heritage. Their gravestones illustrate an amazing variety of ideas. For example, late 18th century Bostonians might choose to portray themselves in a portrait, usually from the waist up including a display of costume. In Charleston, a soul conveyed to the clouds might be depicted as a display of optimism. Even humorous illustrations made their way onto gravestones in some parts of the country.