by zeki hirsch. the evolution of the death’s head
TRANSCRIPT
By Zeki Hirsch
THE EVOLUTION OF THE DEATH’S HEAD
THE EVOLUTION OF THE DEATH’S HEAD
TRINITY CHURCHYARDMANHATTAN, NY
1681
OLD HILL BURYING GROUNDCONCORD, MA
1712
TRINITY CHURCHYARDMANHATTAN, NY
1721
OLD HILL BURYING GROUNDCONCORD, MA
1735
TRINITY CHURCHYARDMANHATTAN, NY
1764
OLD HILL BURYING GROUNDCONCORD, MA
1766
TRINITY CHURCHYARDMANHATTAN, NY
1770
TRINITY CHURCHYARDMANHATTAN, NY
1772
OLD HILL BURYING GROUNDCONCORD, MA
1791
TRINITY CHURCHYARDMANHATTAN, NY
1794
ST. PAUL’S CHAPELMANHATTAN, NY
1795
ST. PAUL’S CHAPELMANHATTAN, NY
1802
OLD HILL BURYING GROUNDCONCORD, MA
1807
AFTERWORD
Up and down the coast of New England, cemeteries are dotted across the land. Older burial grounds, newer ones, and especially churchyards. In these
strange, beautiful necropolises lie the remains of those before us. The tombstones are elegantly carved, and represent not only the dead, but the spirit of the times. Modern day visitors don’t exactly pay much attention to the centuries-old symbolism in cemeteries at all. But symbolism abounds. The “Death’s Head” is very hard to avoid. These unique motifs were first
seen in the late 17th century. They are exactly what they sound like: A skull or a skull with wings. Over the decades, this beauty has changed; originally it symbolized the macabre feelings associated with death. But evolved in the mid-1700s into a cherub -- a more hopeful symbol of the Christian afterlife. By the turn of the 19th century a new symbol emerged: the urn and willow.
Historians don’t agree on what the urn and willow symbolize. Some say they are inspired by ancient Greek symbols of mortality. Others say they represent
the people who mourn the dead, not the dead, themselves. I hope you learned about the changing face of tombstones.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE DEATH’S HEAD