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The Association for Gravestone Studies - FAQ interpretation, and a number of lists have been prepared which suggest to the reader what the symbol probably means. The best of these is included in a handsome book of gravestone photographs by Francis Duval and Ivan Rigby, Early American Gravestone Art in Photographs. Unfortunately, not all designs on gravestones can be interpreted in such a neat, uncomplicated way, and attempts to do so are fraught with the likelihood of error. Professional scholars disagree sharply about the meaning of particular designs; they even debate the extent to which it is possible to determine their meaning and significance. This healthy diversity of opinion stimulates interest and further study. Because there�are few simple answers, you should, if you are interested in the symbolism on old gravestones, approach the subject with an open, inquiring attitude laced with a healthy skepticism. Familiarize yourself with varying scholarly opinions. Read literature about the work of individual carvers and about the life of the period. And most important, study the stones themselves. With patience and perseverance you will develop a good background and understanding of this fascinating subject. AGS has a leaflet on symbolism titled "Symbolism in the Carvings on Old Gravestones" which contains a long list of symbols with possible meanings. See Kits in the Store Directory. The leaflet can be ordered separately. FAQs on Symbolism Here are several sources and interpretations for some frequently used symbols on gravestones. There is more than one interpretation for some symbols so interpretations must be used as possibilities, not certainties. General Gravestone Symbolism See Clasped Hands: Symbolism in New Orleans Cemeteries, by Leonard V. Huber, published 1982 by the Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Southwestern Louisiana. It is fully illustrated and deals only with gravestones and tombs. Fraternal Symbolism See "Fraternal Organizations" by Alvin J. Schmidt from The Greenwood Encyclopedia ofAmerican Institutions, published by Greenwood Press, 1980, or see The International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies & Fraternal Orders by Alan Axelrod, published by Facts on File, 1997 or see Markers XI, "Ritual Regalia, and Remembrance: Fraternal Symbolism" by Laurel K. Gabel. Woodmen of the World Woodmen of the World derived from the Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal group which was founded in 1883. Fraternal scholar William Whalen describes it as an insurance society with some fraternal lodge http://www.gravestonestudies.org/faq.htm 3/12/04