Very Old Cemetery Monument

[ladyups]

I was out taking photos for a project I'm doing and came across these monuments in a cemetery..There are about 6 of these in this cemetery and most date before the 1900s. Anyone ever seen these before? When I was first driving in the cemetery, I thought they were just tree stumps and wondered why they were left standing. It was only on closer observation that I realized they were monuments. No comments needed on the quality of the image..its horrible and I know it but I wasn't really wanting to get an image to keep...:)

[jerryph]

That's an amazing monument. Made to look like an old tree out of cement... wow. That's a picture that deserves to be taken again to the best you can.

I'd love to see it captured, but more, I wish it was better taken care of. Something like that you will never see today, it's very unique!

[angierae]

Hey Mary, the general consensus is that any tree symbol on a headstone means life interrupted. A broken tree, branch, flower, etc. often symbolizes the break in life that death is. A stump for a headstone would probably mean someone who died at a young age. Looking at your picture that seems to fit since she was quite young, were the other's all younger people as well?

[LensBaby]

Hmmm cool. Lots of new information. I am learning something new everyday on here.

[daltoned]

Don't worry about the image quality, what a striking picture of a monument. I've never seen anything like it but as has been said it seems to mark the passing of a young person.
EddieD

[jerryph]

That info was new to me too. :)

[dkippen]

Mary - I was with a photography instructor this weekend and the subject of monuments came up. She had come across one of a couple where the monument was two trees that wrapped around each other, as if the couple had died in each other's arms.

[ladyups]

That's an amazing monument. Made to look like an old tree out of cement... wow. That's a picture that deserves to be taken again to the best you can.

I'd love to see it captured, but more, I wish it was better taken care of. Something like that you will never see today, it's very unique!

I was really intrigued by them and will definitely go back out and see if I can come up with a better image. I'm thinking early morning would be a good time since most of them face east. I just can't believe these have been in this cemetery for over 100 years and I'm just now finding out about them...and the cemetery is in my home town...guess I need to get out more.

[ladyups]

Hey Mary, the general consensus is that any tree symbol on a headstone means life interrupted. A broken tree, branch, flower, etc. often symbolizes the break in life that death is. A stump for a headstone would probably mean someone who died at a young age. Looking at your picture that seems to fit since she was quite young, were the other's all younger people as well?

See, this forum is an abundance of information...I had no idea that the tree symbol symbolized that...I'm going to go back out and I'll check the other monuments for the ages. There are about 5 or 6 this size and then a couple smaller ones. Thanks for telling me this...its information I plan on retaining.

[ladyups]

Don't worry about the image quality, what a striking picture of a monument. I've never seen anything like it but as has been said it seems to mark the passing of a young person.
EddieD

I was in complete awe when I realized they were made out of concrete...they looked so real and I can only image the time it took to carve (?) these as I'm sure there probably was no such thing as a cast back then.. I'd love to know some more history on them.

[ladyups]

Mary - I was with a photography instructor this weekend and the subject of monuments came up. She had come across one of a couple where the monument was two trees that wrapped around each other, as if the couple had died in each other's arms.

Hummm...was it an old monument too? Makes me wonder if this was the norm back then or if you had to have quite a bit of money to afford them.. I'm going to have to do some research on them now...got me really intrigued.

[dkippen]

Yes this was a very old monument. I can't remember where she saw it though, I think it was someplace here in MN.

[LensBaby]

Mary, when I first got into photography with my Minolta Film camera I used to love going to some very, very old cemeteries around here to do photography. I captured some beautiful photos. I developed my own film and did some of them with the sepia tint and they look soooo old I really like them. If I can dig them out of the photo boxes in the attic I will scan some of them. I want to go back in the spring and summer. (No I am not a morbid person)

[ladyups]

Mary, when I first got into photography with my Minolta Film camera I used to love going to some very, very old cemeteries around here to do photography. I captured some beautiful photos. I developed my own film and did some of them with the sepia tint and they look soooo old I really like them. If I can dig them out of the photo boxes in the attic I will scan some of them. I want to go back in the spring and summer. (No I am not a morbid person)

I'd love to see them, Sue..I don't think you are morbid, I think you are preserving history. When I was walking around our old town, it really choked me up to realize that the old buildings were falling down around us and no one was preserving them.

[dkippen]

Sue -

I don't think you're morbid. Cemetaries could tell some wonderful stories and as Mary said, you are preserving as history, as we all are when we take pictures.