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 Colonial New England Gravestone Symbols

1600-1700’s Early Americana Grave Symbols

 

Imagine skulls, crossbones, and winged cherubs to hourglasses, scythes, and stark death’s heads. 1600 -1700s New England gravestone symbols offer a powerful visual language of mortality, faith, warning, and salvation. This guide explores Colonial-era gravestone motifs and early American cemetery art commonly found in 17th- and 18th-century burial grounds.

These symbols are also available for custom gravestone commissions for historical accuracy.

 I've always loved how Colonial New England gravestone symbols reveal the stories and spiritual anxieties of the people now etched in stone.

 

18th Century Willow Gravestone Symbol
Colonial Willow
Memento Mori Hourglass Gravestone Symbol
Hourglass with Bones
Flowers and Cherub Gravestone Symbol
Cherub
18th Century Willow and Urn Gravestone Symbol
18th-Century Weeping Willow and Urn
Deaths Head (Winged Skull) Gravestone Symbol
Death's Head (Winged Skull) 
Death, Moon, and Sun Gravestone Symbol
Death, Moon, and Sun
Five-Pointed Star Gravestone Symbol
Five-Pointed Star 
Skull and Crossbones Gravestone Symbol
Skull and Crossbones 
Skeleton and Hourglass Memento Mori Gravestone Symbol
Skeleton and Hourglass Memento Mori 
Clock Memento Mori Gravestone Symbol
Memento Mori Clock
Moons and Stars Gravestone Symbol
Moon and Stars

Feature One of These Symbols on Your Own Custom Gravestone

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