Main entry:

Keister, Douglas.

Title & Author:

Stories in stone : a field guide to cemetery symbolism and iconography / written and photographed by Douglas Keister.

Edition:

1st ed.

Publication:

Salt Lake City : Gibbs Smith, Publisher, ©2004.

Description:

288 pages : color illustrations, maps ; 24 x 12 cm

Notes:
Includes bibliographical references (page 279) and index.
Funerary architecture: designed for eternity. Mausoleums, chapels, offices -- Tombs, sculptures, memorials -- The sarcophagus -- Stone sentinels: designed for remembrance. Flora -- Plants and flowers -- Fruits, grains, and vines -- Trees and bushes -- Fauna -- Animals -- Fowls and insects -- Fishes and mollusks -- Reptiles and amphibians -- Mythical creatures -- The evangelists -- The human condiction -- The seven virtues -- Human body parts -- Wordly symbols -- Mortality symbols -- Religious devotion -- Christian symbolism -- Hebrew symbolism -- Chinese and Japanese symbolism -- Heavenly messengers -- The cross -- Secret societies, clubs, and fraternal organizations -- Acronyms of societies, clubs, and organizations -- Final impressions.
Publisher's band.

Summary:

Certain symbols abound in modern Western culture that are instantly recognizable: the cross signifies Christianity, the six-pointed Star of David is revered by Jews, the golden arches frequently means it's time for lunch. Other symbols, however, require a bit of decoding-particularly those found in cemeteries. Cemeteries are virtual encyclopedias of symbolism. Engravings on tombstones, mausoleums and memorials tell us just about everything there is to know about a person- date of birth and death as well as religion, ethnicity, occupation, community interests, and much more. In the fascinating new book Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by noted author Douglas Keister, the secrets of cemetery symbolism are finally revealed. For instance, did you know that it is quite rare to see a sunflower on a tombstone? Did you know that the human foot symbolizes humility and service since it consistently touches the earth? Or the humble sheaf of wheat-while it is often used to denote someone who has lived a long and fruitful life, do you know other meanings it might carry? Stories in Stone provides history along with images of a wide variety of common and not-so-common cemetery symbols, and offers an in-depth examination of stone relics and the personal and intimate details they display-flora and fauna, religious icons, society symbols, and final impressions of how the deceased wished to be remembered. Douglas Keister has created a practical field guide that is compact and portable, perfect for those interested in family histories and genealogical research, and is the only book of its kind that unlocks the language of symbols in a comprehensive and easy-to-understand manner. -- Amazon.com.

Resources:
Sample text
Table of contents
Contributor biographical information
Publisher description
Table of contents

ISBN:

158685321X
9781586853211

Subject:

Sepulchral monuments.
Symbolism in art.
Symbolisme dans l'art.
Iconografie.
Begraafplaatsen.
Monuments funéraires Symbolisme.
Signes et symboles Dans l'art.
Cemeteries

Holdings:

Location: Library study room 236120
Call No.: NB1800.K45 2004
Status: Available