Headstone Symbols In Ontario

Anchors - Hope or eternal life. Often on sailors' graves. Anchors are also a Masonic symbol for well-grounded hope, therefore they are often found on Masons' graves.

Weeping Willow - Nature's lament, a symbol of sorrow and mourning.

Drapery - means mourning. In Victorian times Curtains would be drawn and clocks would be stopped at the time of death. Mirrors were covered with crape or veiling to prevent the deceased’s spirit from getting trapped in the looking glass

Wreath - represents the evergreen memory of the deceased. During victorian times a wreath of laurel, yew or boxwood tied with crape or black ribbons was hung on the front door to alert passersby that a death had occurred.