Gravestones in the Gale

The storm was a brewing, but the graves were waiting for us. We gathered our belongings and walked to the first of two sites for the evening. The first site was the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul, on 126 Coming St. It was a vast grave with various grave markers that could be seen from the street. On one side of the Cathedral there was a high brick wall preventing onlookers to get a sneak peak at the mysterious plot behind the wall.  

Die on base
Ivy- undying affection,memory,fidelity

Walking in we dropped our bags on the steps of the Cathedral and began exploring. There were numerous grave markers, such as die on base, pedestal tomb, obelisk, and many others. I found symbols on some of the headstones as well. While many have been weathered and stand against time some of the graves had visible inscriptions. The symbols have interpretations, and for almost every piece that is added to a headstone it has some kind of significant meaning. Some of the more common  grave markers I saw are pictured below. 

Pedestal Tomb - urn
1860-1880 time frame

Bedstead/ casket
generally for children

obelisk
husband & wife

Box Tomb
Lily of the valley - purtity

 There were many grave markers that had joint names, signifying married couples or family plots.  While this cemetery is archaic and some of the graves are not in the best condition the overall appearance of this site was not morbid.  

Mausoleum
Torch- inverted, means death
 but not extinguished  

This mausoleum in the back is massive.  To the eye, it appears new, as the marble is smooth.  I don't know what family or group of people this mausoleum is for, but it is stunning.  Two upside-down torches near the edges of the mausoleum represent the end of life.  The enscription on the mausoleum "QVI CHRISTO VIVIT PERIRE NESCIT," which roughly translates to "He who knows Christ never perishes." 

Then below there is the grave of Sophia Eleanor, who died at 26 on January 2, 1879, remains in great condition to this day.  This standard headstone comes not without a meaningful symbol.  At the top center of is the Crown and Cross, symbolizing Christianity and victory over death.  What seems like a simple grave actually has a power symbol along with it.  A touching epitaph at the bottom reads "Sweet Rest in Heaven."

Headstone
Crown symbol

A Historian Makes History

Today we had a historian come to class. Her name is Ruth M. Miller, she is a local Charleston historian who is a graduate of Duke University. She told us all about her exciting life, of living all over America and traveling much of the world. She enjoys tying local history into the American story and worldwide events. Her specialty is local religious history, including extensive knowledge of the history and origins of local congregations, their churches, synagogues and 18th century graveyards 

Miller (left) and Harwood (right)
show off eachother's books

Ruth enjoys digging into the past and sharing her discoveries. She has written 7 books about various topics. Miller says that,“We have the best collection of eighteenth century cemeteries in America”. She believes that Charleston is filled with history that is waiting to resurface. Her visit was truly inspiring and made me believe that history is all around us in this gorgeous historic district.

Miller was very informative and she spoke about how you don't need a degree to be interested in the art of excavating. She gave helpful tips on how to photograph various headstones as well. The information she shared will help immensely, and the amount of knowledge she can recall is impressive. 
Having Ms.Miller in class made the study of genealogy and gravestone iconography interesting and engaging. She had countless stories about specific moments in time and how certain ways of doing things evolved. Miller taught me about the iconography and symbols on gravestones, obelisk,crypts, and other body storage sites. 
After class I was able to view her website, and find specific facts about the numerous books she helped write.