Stories in STONE: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography
Stories in STONE: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography
Hardcover
Written and photographed by: Douglas Keister
From the back cover:
"This ultimate resource book for cemetery sleuths decodes the meanings of all the symbols you're likely to encounter, including:
- Plants
- Animals
- The Human Body
- Tradesmen's Tools
- Religious Icons
- Secret Society Emblems
- Fraternal Organization Insignias
- Tokens
- Death Seals
More than 350 symbols are demystified."
From the book description:
"Dead men may tell no tales, but the symbols on their tombstones do.
Although the meaning of most symbols has remained fairly consistent through the centuries - crosses for Christians, six-pointed stars for Jews, the yin-yang symbol for Buddhists, hearts for love, lambs for innocence - nowhere is the language of symbols more prominent than in cemeteries.
Stories in Stone is the first guide to the oft-maligned world of cemeteries. It provides fascinating answers to questions from beyond the grave. What religion were they? What clubs and organizations did they belong to? What was their occupation or hobby? What thoughts did they hold about the afterlife? What was their favorite flower?
Douglas Keister's stunning full-color imagery and historically accurate descriptions have created a beautiful and unique gift for people who like to poke around cemeteries, search out ancestors, bone up on history, or dig skeletons out of the closet. Don't be afraid - open the gate and come on in"
About the author:
"Douglas Keister has photographed fourteen award-winning, critically acclaimed books, earning him the title "America's most noted photographer of historic architecture." His architecture and style books include Classic Cottages, Red Tile Style, Inside the Bungalow, Outside the Bungalow, and Victorian Glory. He writes and illustrates magazine articles and contributes photographs and essays to other books, calendars, poster, and greeting cards. He also writes feature articles for magazines, including the "Tomb of the Month" for American Cemetery Magazine, and teaches workshops on photography. He lives in Chico, California, with his wife, Sandy Schweitzer."
ISBN: 978-1-58685-321-1