Atlantic Canada
Nova Scotia
Title: Peggy's Cove.
Order No.: A1-9279.
Location: Nova Scotia Lighthouse Route
Fortress Louisburg, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
In 1758 The British seized Fortress Louisburg. The British not only destroyed the fortress but also saw France lose control of Atlantic Canada, Quebec City and eventually claims to the rest of the continent save for some tiny islands off the east coast of Newfoundland. The reconstruction of the fortress was begun in the period 1961-71.
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Dauphin Gate
In the 18th century, the fortress had only three land entrances, including the Dauphin Gate, which was manned around the clock. |
Title: Dauphin Gate: Entrance to Fortress Louisbourg.
Order No.: A1-0117.
Location, Cape Breton, NS.
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Title: Fortress Louisbourg, Cape Breton.
Order No.: A1-0039.
Location: Nova Scotia
Memorials and Sacred Places
Fortress of Louisbourg: from History to Historic Site
Go to: www.ameriquefrancaise.org/en/article-389/Fortress%20of%20Louisbourg:%20from%20History%20to%20Historic%20Site
Go to: www.ameriquefrancaise.org/en/article-389/Fortress%20of%20Louisbourg:%20from%20History%20to%20Historic%20Site
Title: Acadian Cross, Cape Breton.
Order No.: A1-0013.
Location: Fortress Louisbourg.
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Title: Swissair Disaster Memorial.
Order No.: A1-9330.
Location: Peggy's Cove, NS.
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Old Burying Ground, 1749-1844, Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Old Canadian Cemeteries: Places of Memory.
Stories in Etched in Stone and Iron - Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography |
Title: Entrance to Old Burying Ground, 1749-1844.
Order No.: A1-8386.
Location: Halifax
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Title: Chest Tomb and Stone Plaques with Symbols of Mortality (death's heads). Old Burying Ground.
Order No.: A1-8899.
Location: Halifax. NS.
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Title: Burying Stone with fraternal club(c.1821) and mortality death's head symbols. c.1796-1806.
Order No.: A1-8454.
Location: St. Paul's Cemetery, Halifax.
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Old Burying Ground of St. Paul's Church, Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Old Burying Ground in Halifax holds the distinction of being the first cemetery in Canada designated a National Historic Site. It contains over 1,200 head and foot stones, offering a rich collection of 18th-century grave art.
Historical and Artistic Significance
The Old Burying Ground in Halifax holds the distinction of being the first cemetery in Canada designated a National Historic Site. It contains over 1,200 head and foot stones, offering a rich collection of 18th-century grave art.
Historical and Artistic Significance
- The cemetery is known for its variety of gravestone art and craftsmanship, with many of the stones dating back to the 1700s.
- The designs on the stones are notable for their winged skulls, winged heads, and soul effigies, which are some of the most distinctive and exceptional examples of early gravestone art.
- These graves were used by all denominations and served the city of Halifax from its founding in 1749 until the cemetery's closure in 1844.
- In the 1860s, the cemetery was fenced and landscaped, and in the 1990s it was restored as a park and outdoor museum (1990-1991), offering a place for reflection on the cultural traditions of early British North America.
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Graveyard symbols and motifs, and their meanings
The carvings of the first head stones were done in New England during the beginning of the 18th century and shipped up to Halifax but soon after all stone grave-marker work was done locally. Headstones in the cemetery show a variety of motifs and symbols, including Masonic designs, floral wreaths, Maltese cross, winged hourglass (a classical symbol of mortality), descending hand of God, Low relief carving of a figured cherub. Cherub stones tend to stress the joy of resurrection and immortality. The impish winged cherub design on stone pattern in 18th gravestones was known as a "soul effigy". |
Title: Symbols of Mortality, Cemetery Plaque, c.1678.
Order No.: A1-6928.
Location: Old Cemetery near Boston Common.
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Graveyard Symbols and Motifs, and Their Meanings
In the Old Burying Ground and other 18th-century cemeteries, gravestones often featured intricate symbols and motifs, each carrying a specific meaning related to life, death, and the afterlife. Here's a breakdown of the key symbols and their meanings:
1. Masonic Designs
In the Old Burying Ground and other 18th-century cemeteries, gravestones often featured intricate symbols and motifs, each carrying a specific meaning related to life, death, and the afterlife. Here's a breakdown of the key symbols and their meanings:
1. Masonic Designs
- Meaning: These symbols, associated with Freemasonry, can represent the mystical and spiritual beliefs of Masons, with specific symbols such as compasses or square representing virtue, wisdom, and moral integrity.
- Meaning: Floral wreaths on gravestones are often associated with eternal life, memories, and remembrance, signifying the renewal of life and nature’s cyclical rebirth after death.
- Meaning: This symbol is often connected with Christianity and represents sacrifice, faith, and divine protection. It was sometimes used to mark the graves of soldiers, particularly those who served in the Crusades or other military engagements.
- Meaning: The winged hourglass is a classic symbol of mortality. The wings emphasize the swift passage of timeand the impermanence of life. It serves as a reminder that life is fleeting, and death is inevitable.
- Meaning: The descending hand of God is a symbol of divine intervention and judgment. It often signifies God’s will in taking the soul of the deceased and represents God’s ultimate authority over life and death.
- Meaning: Cherubs on gravestones were often depicted in low relief carvings. These winged angels tend to emphasize joy and the celebration of resurrection and immortality. The cherub often signals the soul's peaceful transition to the afterlife.
- Meaning: Soul effigies were a specific type of winged cherub design commonly used in 18th-century gravestones. These cherubs were often portrayed with a playful or impish expression, reflecting the belief in resurrection and the continuance of the soul after death. The effigies were meant to symbolize the soul’s journeyand the immortality of the spirit, presenting death not as an end but as a transition to a higher spiritual plane.
Title: Tomb Erected by a Benevolent Society, c.1821.
Order No.: A1-8452.
Location: Old Burying Ground, Halifax.
Societies, Clubs, and Fraternal Organizations: Death BenefitsThroughout history, many societies, clubs, and fraternal organizations offered death benefits to their members as part of their membership perks. These benefits were a way to ensure that members and their families had financial or material support in the event of death. Some of the key aspects of these death benefits included:
1. Tombstones
4. Dedicated Cemetery Sections
1. Tombstones
- Description: Some organizations provided members with tombstones as part of their death benefit package. This could mean that the society would cover the cost of a headstone or even provide a specific design for the marker, often reflecting the organization's emblem or symbolism.
- Description: In addition to providing tombstones, some organizations would allocate a specific plot of land in their designated burial area (sometimes referred to as the organization's cemetery section) for their deceased members. This was particularly common among fraternal groups or burial societies.
- Description: Some fraternal organizations had community mausoleums or crypts reserved for members. The mausoleum could be a large structure where members' remains would be interred, offering a shared final resting place for the organization’s deceased members.
4. Dedicated Cemetery Sections
- Description: In certain cases, fraternal organizations or societies maintained their own cemetery sections, often large areas set aside specifically for the burial of their members. This allowed for a communal space where members of the same society or organization could be buried near each other, reinforcing the sense of unity and brotherhood even after death.
- Description: A benevolent society was an organization dedicated to providing financial assistance and support to its members in times of need, including death. Tombstones from these societies could be quite distinctive, often featuring engraved symbols representing the organization's mission, such as a compass, square, or other fraternal emblems. These stones were not only a means of marking the grave but also a symbol of the collective support and care provided to members during their lifetime and after their passing.
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Mortality Symbols: Traditional Cast-Iron Grave Art - The Lamb MotifThe lamb is a common and meaningful symbol found in grave art, particularly in cast-iron grave markers. Here's a breakdown of its symbolism:
1. Innocence and Purity
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Title: Decorative Cast-Iron Gate, Lamb design.
Order No.: A1-8808.
Location: Fredericton, NB.
Frederiction, NB
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The image on this cast-iron gate is the Agnus Dei (Latin for ‘Lamb of God’). It is one of the most frequently used symbols for Jesus Christ.
In the Jewish faith the lamb was a sacrificial animal. It was sacrificed in rituals as a symbolic washing away of sin. Christ’s own sacrifice for mankind at the Crucifixion is symbolised by the lamb.
In the Jewish faith the lamb was a sacrificial animal. It was sacrificed in rituals as a symbolic washing away of sin. Christ’s own sacrifice for mankind at the Crucifixion is symbolised by the lamb.
Title: Sign of the Press Gang Pub.
Order No.: A1-8384.
Location: Old Halifax, NS.
By the Sea
Title: Schooner in Lunenburg .
Order No.: A1-0386.
Location: Canada (Nova Scotia)
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Title: "Sea Never Dry" Dory.
Order No.: A1-0425.
Location: Lunenburg, NS.
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Title: Yarmouth Harbour.
Order No.: A1-9993.
Location: Nova Scotia
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Title: Awaiting the Tide.
Order No.: A1-9975.
Location: Yarmouth Harbour, NS.
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David Clendenning on Yarmouth Beach, Nova Scotia, 2011.
New Brunswick
Ministers Island
In 1790, Samuel Andrews, an Anglican minister and Loyalist, built a home here, hence the name Ministers Island. Circa 1890, William Van Horne, visionary builder of the Canadian Pacific Railway, established his summer estate here.
In 1790, Samuel Andrews, an Anglican minister and Loyalist, built a home here, hence the name Ministers Island. Circa 1890, William Van Horne, visionary builder of the Canadian Pacific Railway, established his summer estate here.
Title: Covenhoven, Van Horne Estate.
Order No.: A1-5922.
Location: Minister's Island, St. Andrew's, NB
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Title: Entrance to Covenhoven, Van Horne Estate.
Order No.: A1-1142.
Location: Ministers Island, NB.
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Title: George Prowse Range Co., Limited, Montreal, est. 1829, Cooking Stove, circa.1890s.
Order No.: A1-1213.
Location: Coventhoven, Van Horne Estate, Ministers Island, St. Andrews's, NB.
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Title: Bath House, Minister's Island.
Order No.: A1-8064.
Location: New Brunswick (St. Andrew's). Built late 1890's or early 1900's. Looks down on the beach for the man-made in ground swimming pool.
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Title: Great Barn, Van Horne Estate.
Order No.: A1-6593.
Location: Ministers Island, NB.
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Title: Rev. Samuel Andrews Home, c.1790.
Order No.: A1-1009.
Location: Ministers Island.
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Title: View of Samuel Andrews home, Ice Packing Building and the Great Barn.
Order No.: A1-0906.
Location: Ministers Island.
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Title: Sunbury Shores Art Gallery.
Order No.: A1-8116.
Location: St. Andrews by the Sea, NB.
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Title: Greenock Church, est. 1824.
Order No.: A1-0123.
Location: St. Andrews, NB
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Title: Tides Out.
Order No.: A1- 8159.
Location: New Brunswick (Alma)
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