How to Read Gravestone Symbols
Apart from the name and birth and death dates of a deceased person, it was a convention to engrave certain symbols on gravestones. These symbols had a peculiar meaning which you may want to find, especially if your nature is very curious. Reading gravestone symbols can be fun since you get to learn things that you may not be able to find in ordinary history books. You will need a digital camera in order to take photographs of gravestone symbols which you want to study. Here is how to understand the meaning of gravestone symbols.
Instructions
-
1
Visit an old graveyard and take photographs of as many gravestones as you possibly can. Use a digital camera of fairly good resolution for taking the photographs. Note down details for each gravestone that you shoot in a journal. You would want to write down a description of the different carvings and marks along with the death date of the deceased. Visit an old graveyard and take photographs of as many gravestones as you possibly can. Use a digital camera of fairly good resolution for taking the photographs. Note down details for each gravestone that you shoot in a journal. You would want to write down a description of the different carvings and marks along with the death date of the deceased.
-
2
After you are done taking photographs of the gravestones, visit a local library. Ask the librarian to guide you to appropriate section. Find a number of books which you think may contain information about gravestone symbols and their meanings. Keep in mind the date at which the gravestone was built because that will help you narrow down your research, thus making your task a lot easier. Gravestone symbols were engraved for various purposes. A particular gravestone symbol may refer to a person's ethnicity, his or her standing in the community or simply religious affiliation of the deceased. Continue browsing through the books until you have found the meaning of a particular gravestone symbols.
-
3
Another possible way of finding the meaning of gravestone symbols is to do some research on the internet. This will prove helpful especially if you are not good with books.
-
4
Alternatively, consider joining a group having the same aim as you. This way you will be able to share your information and get to know about the research of other people on a particular gravestone symbol. Sharing data would mean would be able to establish the authenticity of your research as well.
