View Full Version : Veiled Urns
Dog-eared
12-Aug-07, 18:46
A friend up on holiday has asked about the significance of the many veiled urn carvings on top of Caithness gravestones. Anyone know??
The veiled urn was a popular symbol for commemorating death as was the broken column or open bible in the Victorian era, not just here but you are right there seems to be a heck of a lot of veiled urns in our local cemeterys, each one taller than the next probaly indicating the wealth of the family.
Dog-eared
12-Aug-07, 23:12
I was told that the Victorians , in their suppressed but morbidly and sexually fixated society included many meanings in the style or inclusions on the actual tombstone which would mean for example , "died in childbirth" ,etc, without actually stating the fact.
Lolabelle
13-Aug-07, 05:25
Just googled and aparently an urn symbolises mourning and one with a veil means the death of an older person.
http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/pages/Cem_Symbolism.htm
Buttercup
13-Aug-07, 19:29
Just googled and aparently an urn symbolises mourning and one with a veil means the death of an older person.
http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/pages/Cem_Symbolism.htm
Thanks for the link Lolabelle, very intriguing!
northener
13-Aug-07, 21:08
On a similar note regarding meanings.
If you see a statue of a great military leader on horsebck, the stance of the horse tells you about the rider.
All four hooves on the ground: The leader survived unscathed.
One front leg raised: Wounded in action.
Horse rearing up onto hind legs: Killed in action.
Having said that, I've seen a painting showing Napoleon on a rearing horse, so it doesn't apply to paintings - only statues.
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