Do you know what the symbols on the tombstone mean?

For thousands of years, people have crafted lengths to commemorate the final resting place of their loved ones and respected leaders. 

Although many changes have taken place over thousands of years, tombstones and monuments are still erected in almost the same style and materials every day. Stone tombs and monuments, bronze plaques, marble markers, and slate tombstones are the legacy of those before us, which lasts forever.

Due to historical grave markers, many symbols and traditions have been passed down from generation to generation. The meanings of glyphs and symbols often have multiple meanings, and they have different meanings in different regions and different periods. Let's take a look at some common symbols and their meanings in American graves.

Religious symbols:

• Alpha-Omega: The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet represent God as the beginning and end.

• Celtic cross: A cross with a round shape was originally a symbol of paganism, but was later adopted by the Christian church.

• Endless knot: reincarnation

• Cross and crown: The cross represents Christianity, and the crown represents victory.

• The letters "I H S", usually on the cross, indicate that the first three letters of Jesus are in Greek.

• Hexagonal Star of David: Jewish

• XP, Chi-Rho, the first two letters of Christ in Greek

• Winged Earth: Represents Ra, the Egyptian sun god, and represents the "Creator"

• Triangle: Equilateral triangle represents the Trinity of Christianity

System:

• Shepard’s Crook: a cane composed of three links of love, friendship and truth, a symbol of the independent freak group

• Two-headed bird: a symbol of the power of Freemasonry. Other freemason symbols include crowns and various geometric shapes.

Animal:

• Butterfly: Resurrection

• Birds: eternal life

• Dove: Peace and purity. Also represents the Holy Spirit

• Lion: power

• Swallow-tailed snake: a symbol of eternity

Flower:

• Campanula flowers: gratitude and perseverance

• Oak leaf: strength and endurance

• Ivy: eternal love

Other symbols:

• Anchor: Hope

• Artist palette: painter

• The inverted torch: an extinction of life

• Oil lamp: wisdom

• Book: Knowledge

• Lyre: musician

• Urn and curtain: sorrow

• Garland: a symbol of victory

• Hourglass with Wings: "Time Flies"

• Cross torch and sword: life and death, respectively.