If you have recently lost a loved one or you are pre-arranging your own funeral, you may be shopping around for headstones. Headstones and monuments are some of the most important selections you make during this process, as they are more than just grave markers. A headstone condenses the history of a person’s life into just a few lines and a bit of imagery, so it is important to choose the right image to represent their life.

Here are a few common symbols used on headstones and their meanings:

• Book: The use of a book in tombstone imagery typically symbolizes the record of a person’s life. Some headstones feature an open book, as though their life is a biography to be read, or a closed book, as though the story has ended. Alternatively, a book on a headstone can also be a religious symbol, representative of the Quran or the Bible.
• Dove: Doves exist symbolically in various cultures and are typically associated with love, peace, and purity. Doves can also symbolize the transcendence of the spirit from this world to the next.
• Lamb: Lambs are common symbols in Catholicism used to indicate that a person was a child of God and a follower of Christ. Lambs can also symbolize innocence and purity, and are often used on the headstones of children and younger people.
• Lion: The symbol of a lion may have two purposes. It can serve as a sign of God’s power and protection from evil spirits, or it can be a symbol of the bravery of the departed.
• Hearts: Hearts are universally accepted as a symbol of love. This symbol is commonly used as two linked hearts on a married couple’s shared tombstone to symbolize eternal love.

For high-quality, dignified headstones, monuments, and markers, visit McGee Monuments in Rochester, NY. Since 1900, this local company has helped members of their community select elegant headstones to commemorate the life and death of their loved ones. For more information and to view available monuments, call (585) 546-4602 or visit the website today.