Bastardized Symbols - their true meanings revealed.

 

One of the many aspects of being a taphophile is the study of icons and their secondary meanings when used on gravestones.  

We refer to this as Iconography.  While conducting cemetery tours, I explain to people what any given image on a stone says about the stone's owner. Many flora and fauna images used on stones have meanings speaking to faith, age or family relationships. It's a bit like reading hieroglyphics if you can speak the language.

 

 That being said, what would seeing a swastika on a gravestone say to you? What would it's secondary meaning be if not one of hate? And why would anyone use it? Read on for a quick history and the simple answer.

One thing we do know is that over time, the meaning of a symbol can change as changes in the culture also occur. Such is the case with the swastika.

We see this symbol as having a dark history. It's use is currently outlawed in Germany. All of this  can be attributed to one man's warped ambition, Adolf Hitler. In fact he hijacked not only this symbol but a second one as well during the days of the Third Reich.

A swastika plot marker from Texas.

The ironic thing is that this symbol can be traced back all the way to Roman times, and was also used by the Viking.

We can trace the use of the swastika cross well into antiquity.  It has been found on objects such as pottery and ancient coins from Gaza.  

 Some theorize that the symbol originated with the Pagans but was carried over into Christianity.

An early 1900's postcard sent for well wishes.

One thing we do know for sure, is that the word we use for it  "swastika", comes from the Sanskrit word svastika. It is derived from the  

su- meaning "good, well"  and

asti- "to be".... or svasti- thus meaning "well being". 

The suffix -ka intensifies the the verbal meaning, so literal translation could then become "that which is associated with well being" or maybe even "lucky charm". 

There is the answer, the secondary meaning.

Other names for the same symbol are many depending on the culture. It has been called the crooked cross, the angled cross, and the sun cross. In heraldry it is known as the cross cramponned due to each leg's resemblance to an iron-angle or a crampon. A Greek name for the symbol is the gammadion. Each leg of the cross resembles the gamma symbol. The use of this name can be found from Scotland to Iceland. The gammadion can be found on Celtic crosses and jewelry such as necklaces.

The swastika is also known as a gammadion cross.

Another found name for the cross is the Fylfot Cross [fil-fot]. In Britain the name fylfot came from the Anglo-Saxon's - fower fot, meaning "many footed". 

 A manuscript from the 1500's explains the use of the fylfot as a symbol to fill in the empty spaces at the bottom of stained glass windows in medieval churches.

As recently as June 12'th 1996, The British House of Commons Hastard Debate, discussed the badge of the No. 273 British Flight Squadron which uses the symbol. During the debate the ancient symbol was solely established as being called the fylfot while the Nazi symbol was to be referred to as the swastika. 

This firmly established "fylfot" as being the name of the "good" symbol. Even though the Nazi's had nothing to do with the creation of the swastika, their use of it has tainted it for all modern time.

A Christian grave featuring a Star of David.

Inevitably when one thinks of the Nazi's and their use of the swastika another symbol of that time period comes to mind.

 It is the Star of David. Also a very ancient symbol, this star has been used by Jews and Christians... yes Christians for hundreds of years.

It is formed of two triangles. One triangle being man and the other being God, the symbol represents the relationship between the two.  It is also said that the six points of the Star symbol represent all the directions within the Universe, North, South, East, West, up and down.

It was during WWII when Hilter again took control of yet another iconic faith symbol. He chose the Star of David gave it the color yellow and began to use it to "mark" all Jews.

"JEW" embroidered on a patch worn in WWII

Before this action, the Star of David was a minor Jewish symbol of faith, having equal significance with other similar faith symbols. By the end of the War, the world had witnessed the murder of six million people, many of them wearing this same small fabric star. Sadly the Star of David had forever cemented it's place in history as the absolute symbol of the Jewish people.

Fair or not, the meanings of both of these symbols have been forever altered by just one man. Certain images flash through the mind.

To place a Fylfot Cross in your window or mail postcards to your friends wishing them the power of the symbol would cause shock and inevitable scorn. Beautiful ancient symbols altered by Geo-politics. 

That being said, there was a time when these greetings would have been appreciated. 

This powerful final image, shows both symbols married together in stone forever.  Not in opposition, but complimenting each other.

In this age, who could ever have imagined such a sight?

How in the world did they come up with that? Military Edition

Have you ever wondered how some nicknames came about?  Why a delicate flower became the symbol of a very bloody conflict? Sometimes on the surface these things make no sense at all... until you hear the rest of the story. This blog will explain how certain military phrases, nicknames and symbols became part of our American consciousness.

Walking through most any American cemetery, one can see a collection of small metal markers near gravestones. These markers are meant to hold flags and typically reflect the symbols of the military branches and organizations that they represent.

Here I will explain a couple of the most seen.

World War 1 Marker depicting the “Poppy.” The red poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day (November 11). Poppies bloomed in mass numbers across some of the worst battlefields of France during World War I. Their brilliant red color an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war. Even today veterans groups can be found selling small paper "Buddy Poppies" to raise monies and awareness for their support programs.

There are many flowers in France... so why the poppy?

Doctor John McCrae, of Canada, serving as a military doctor is the reason.

It is believed that the death of Dr. McCrae's friend, Alexis Helmer, was the inspiration for McCrae's poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. The exact details of when the first draft was written may never be known because there are various accounts by those who were with McCrae at that time. Some say he wrote the poem in just 20 minutes in an effort to deal with his friends funeral, or that it was written on a work break in between groups of battlefield casualties.

No matter HOW the poem came about... the fact that it was a highly emotional poem written right on the battlefield, greatly impacted all who read it. The imagery in the poem  'In Flanders Fields'  became the symbol of the War....



In Flanders fields the poppies blow                                        
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie
         In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
         In Flanders fields.

 

 

WWI also brought the term "Doughboy" into the American lexicon.

 

Doughboys' was the nickname given to the American Expeditionary Force that took part in the later years of World War One. Before this decisive US involvement the name had applied only to infantryman, but at some point between April 1917 and November 1918 the word expanded to include the whole American armed forces. The term was not used in a derogatory sense, in fact it was a badge of honor, and is present in the diaries and letters of US serviceman, as well as newspapers.

The actual origin of the term 'Doughboy' is still debated within both US historical and military circles, but it dates back to at least the American-Mexican War of 1846-7 after observers noticed U.S. infantry forces were constantly covered with chalky dust from marching through the dry terrain of northern Mexico, giving the men the appearance of unbaked dough. Another suggestion also arises from the Mexican–American War, and the dust-covered infantry men resembled the commonly used mud bricks of the area known as adobes. No one knows for sure the exact inspiration for the nickname but the fact remains that it was made very popular many years later during WWI. 

Click on the link below to hear a hit song from the era using the term.

Johnny Doughboy Found a Rose in Ireland

Another strange nickname comes from WWII.

 "The Ruptured Duck" marker was originally  a cloth insignia depicting an eagle inside a wreath. WWII servicemen and women wore it on uniforms above the right breast pocket.

It was issued to service personnel who were about to leave the military with an Honorable Discharge. It also allowed them to continue to wear their uniform for up to thirty days after they were discharged since there was a clothing shortage at that time. This showed the MP's that they were in transit and not AWOL. 

Well, the boys thought the eagle looked more like a duck; and because it meant they were going home, the popular saying was, 

"They took off like a Ruptured Duck"

Kind of paints a funny picture, huh? But that's the true story. Ask any WWII veteran, they know the term well. 

Written by guest blogger:  Daniel Meehan

the Long S

Have you ever walked through a very old cemetery and become confused as to what a stone was trying to say? Or looked at an epitaph and wondered why in the world a letter -f- was used in place of an -s-?  If so, you have witnessed first hand the confusing use of the long s.

The word pass appears as pafs and wise looks like the word wife.

For years I have wondered about this character in Colonial script. Why did they use this -f- letter... and what were the rules dictating it's use? Some words had it, others didn't... some words that contained double -s- had both the -f- like letter and a normal -s-.  I asked teachers and historians alike but with no suitable answer to my question. Everyone had the same answer... "I'm not sure."

The problem was... neither were the Colonists who etched it into their memorials and that's the reason it's not used today.

Let me explain:

What you are looking at is referred to as the long, medial or descending letter s represented by what looks like a lower case f.

The true lower case s we are accustomed to using today is referred to as the short, round or terminal s.

From here on I will make reference to long and short s forms.

The long s came from early Roman cursive. After dying out, it was picked up again in usage sometime in 1400's by Italian printers. It was quite a fashionable trend. The long s also came in 2 forms, with and without a nub. When appearing, the nub is always placed to the left of the letter.

It wasn't used exclusively by the Italians though, the Germans also used this character in Blackletter typeface.

Here are some of the complicated rules on how to use this letter:

When a font containing long s is used, German typographic rules require the short s to be used when it occurs singly at the end of a syllable, while long s is used at the beginning of a syllable.  The short s appears at the end of each word within a compound word. This is why some call it the terminal s - it comes at the end. Where as the long s comes in the middle and is sometimes called medial s.

Confused yet? 
Yes, and so were most people!
 
These rules were broken all the time.

 Notice the last two pictures on the left. They belong to a husband and wife, both were carved within about 10 years of each other. Sarah's stone makes reference to her husband - Joseph - using a short s. While on Mr. Belknap's stone his name is spelled out with a longs s. Same name two different usages of the s.


  The use of any typeface using the long s fell out of favor in the US and Britain within the early 19'th century about 1810, although handwritten samples can be found into the 1860's. It is said that confusion and even those suffering from poor vision, all led to the demise of this font trend. In a population that wasn't terribly literate, it was just too complicated.

Today those who use the long s do so to catch the eye only.  It's modern use is as buried as the Colonials who so long ago etched it into stone.

the Elements of an Inscription

Most people know what an epitaph is, right?  Those final thoughts about a person lovingly etched into the bottom of a stone.  But, if I asked you what an EPITHET was, would you know the answer?

What we put on gravestones today greatly differs from what was put on them in the 18'th and 19'th centuries.  There were titles and words used that many of us have no idea the meaning of today.  For instance, there are terms used for a wife that many people are quite unsure of and many times actually offended by.  If you know the meaning of each term, you will realize they simply refer to the order in which the wife died in relationship to her husband.

The first is RELICT. This is a term meaning widow; the husband had died before his wife.




The other frequently used term is CONSORT. This is the one that causes such grief and confusion! It may not even be uncommon for a husband to have two or three consorts all buried next to one another. The term consort simply means that the wife died before the husband, many times in childbirth. Often, men remarried quickly in order to supply their children with a new caretaker. It wasn't even terribly unusual to remarry the sister of a lost wife.

Note: the word often looks as though it is spelled Confort. This is due to the colonial s character

THERE ARE SEVEN BASIC PARTS TO AN INSCRIPTION. 
Not every stone will include all seven, but many do.


1. the Header  - Here Lyes, In the Memory of, Sacred, The Mortal Remains of, etc…

2. the Epithet(s)  – Daughter of, Honored, Rev[erend], Christian, Esq[uire], Faithful Relict, Mason, etc…

3. the Name - Self explanitory.  (although, it can be amusing to pay attention to the older ones.)

4. the Formula of Death  – Who fell victim to, Departed this life, Died, etc…

5. the Date  - Nov 21, 1851, ye Jan 15, 1779, etc…

6. the Age - Aetatis 49, Age 6months and 3 days, etc…

7. the Eulogies  – A Biblical verse, Rest in Peace, May his soul be rewarded, etc… (also sometimes referred to as the Epithaph)

I am always amazed when I find the reason for death listed clearly on a stone. As you can see here, on the stone for this 3 yr old child.

"His death was occasioned by the kick of a horse"










Also very touching is to find a formula of death written as this one was...

"Fell asleep..."




Now that you know all 7 elements, are you ready for a quiz?


Here are a few examples on stones here in Maine. See if you can correctly name all the elements on Stone #1. ( Don't worry I'll provide the answers for #2 )

How did you do? That was a lot of information, wasn't it?

Here are the answers for stone #2
Here lyes dissolving in earth the mortal remains of =  Header
Mrs. Anne Storer =  Name
Wife of =  Epithet
Whose fair form fell a victim to death =  Formula of Death
the 3 day of Nov 1788 =  Date
Having lived 25 years and 6 days =  Age
                                                         ————————————

Stone #2 had no Eulogy / Epitaph. Stone #1 does and I think it is a very interesting perspective on life at that time, it reads…

"Her life was short her days were few but wisdom was to her for gray hairs." 
 
Now you have a good understanding of the parts to a gravestone inscription. Time to grab a camera and a notebook to write down a few good Epitaphs. You may be able to find one of my favorites

"Passerby cast an eye, 

As you are now so once was I, 

As I am now so you will be, 

Prepare for Death and follow me."

 

Take advantage of the good weather so you can get out there and see some of them for yourself!