TOMBSTONES & SYMBOLS Website

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi All

Following some 16 years spent in the churchyards of Lewes and Hastings (but mostly Lewes) I have of late been constructing a web site to illustrate the kind of Motifs / Symbols to be found on Headstones and Memorials.
Although some pages are still in course of preparation; I think there is still  sufficient published to make it interesting:

http://Tombstones.webs.com

Please take a look and let me know what you think, and is there anything more that could be included

Chris in 1066

[ptdrifter]

Don't mean to be nitpicky but it's "Categories"

Great site

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi Ptdrifter

No you are not pickicky - Have at long last changed it

Chris in 1066

[SamMapes]

Its really a great site and quite interesting too.. I think that there is no need of including anything. Thanks for sharing with us.

[Manitoulingirl]

I am trying to find out what "AE" means when it is placed after the age of the deceased on a tombstone. For example: 92 years AE. Would you be able to tell me? I would really appreciate it.

Thank you,
LWR

[ptdrifter]

I think it means age. 
Seen to remember it is abbreviation of "aetatis"

Definition of ANNO AETATIS SUAE
: in the (specified) year of his (or her) age

[Bristol20]

Great idea for website. Spotted a few more typos for you off Symbols and Meanings link: Morman is misspelled twice, needs to end with an 'n', and there should be a space between "Bibleand" for the explanation of "A pair of Holy Books".

Did you really mean to list "Breasts" as a symbol?  If a human breast is meant to be implied by a gourd or pomegranate, wouldn't the symbol fall under "Fruit" or "Fruit and Veg"?  And how would we know a gourd is supposed to connote a human breast?

I'm fascinated by the possibility of seeing an Imp on a tombstone or headstone.  I've seen impish cherubs in paintings before, but never an imp carved in stone for someone who's dead. What do imps on headstones look like?

I thought flowers in bud also meant young life that never reached full flower.  Have you ever encountered that meaning?

Thanks - 

[rosie99]

Welcome to rootschat

Chris has not been on here for 3 years so it is possible that no change to his typo's will be made.  He has however posted lots of information for the area which hopefully you will find useful, I know it has been to me.