Winged Skull Gravestone Symbols
Winged skull gravestone symbols were common in 18th-century cemeteries. While they may look strange to us today – even morbid or creepy – they held important meaning for our ancestors. Death was a frequent visitor to households in the 1700s. In many areas, it was…
3 Amazing Gravestone Obelisks
Gravestone obelisks have been one of the most popular types of cemetery memorial stones since the mid-1800s. In fact, it is difficult to find a cemetery from that time period without one. Obelisks, defined as upright four-sided pillars that gradually taper off at the top…
8 Outstanding Eagle Scouts Serving in Cemeteries
There are some outstanding Eagle Scouts serving in cemeteries, taking hundreds of thousands of gravestone photographs to help others find their ancestors and expand their family trees. We would like to give a shout-out to a few of them. The rank of Eagle is Boy Scouting’s…
5 Awesome Mausoleums from Around the World
Awesome mausoleums from around the world vary in size and style, but they share the common purpose of showing respect for the departed. Since the beginning of time, people have developed different ways to bury their deceased loved ones. Mausoleums were some of the earliest…
Occupational Gravestones are Family History Clues
Occupational gravestones can help you discover the story of your ancestor’s life. It’s the dash between the dates! As family historians, most of us look for gravestones to find birth and death dates to add to our family trees. What a pleasant surprise when we…
Catholic Cemetery Symbols
Is your halo slipping or shining? Do you know why the rosary was invented? What does a sideways horizontal cross mean? This blog post will help you understand Catholic cemetery symbols. And after that, your trips to the cemetery will never be the same! My…