EVENT: Tomorrow! Gravestone symbolism

WHAT: William Macomber reveals elements of 'Gravestone Symbolism'
WHEN: Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 6:30pm
WHERE: Augusta City Center, 16 Cony St., Augusta, ME
FMI: Call Kennebec Historical Society (presentation sponsor) (207)622-7718 or visit http://www.kennebechistorical.org/

Taphophilia is a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries, and many interested in local and family history find themselves joining this group as they do field research.

Also of interest for taphophiles is Macomber's membership in the Maine Old Cemetery Association, and the Association for Gravestone Studies, which will hold its 34th annual conference June 14-18 at Colby College in Waterville.

Macomber noted that certain flowers and plants carved on gravestones have particular meaning. A broken tree trunk, for example, symbolizes premature death, while a weeping willow symbolizes grief, death and earthly sorrow. A wreath symbolizes victory in death, the indestructible crown and eternity.

Macomber will discuss these and other symbols during his presentation. “Hopefully, they’ll get a better idea of what they’re looking at,” he said.

If you would like to visit the Kennebec Historical Society, sponsor of the event, they are located at 107 Winthrop Street in Augusta, and are open to the public 10:00AM to 2:00PM from Wednesday through Friday, with additional research hours by appointment. They can be reached at (207) 622-7718

About Maine Old Cemetery Association
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~memoca/moca.htm
The Maine Old Cemetery Association, M.O.C.A., was founded in 1969 for the main purposes of locating old cemeteries in the state of Maine, encouraging the care and preservation of those cemeteries, and the gathering and preservation of historical information regarding these cemeteries.

The Maine Inscription Project (MIP) is THE primary project of MOCA. This entails transcribing all old cemeteries in Maine. MOCA is continuing to prepare its county cemetery listings for publication. This has been an ongoing project since MOCA's beginning. There are still many cemetery listings undone or incomplete. Contact us as to format and data collection procedures. Volunteers are urged to submit listings, updates and corrections for this project.

About the Association for Gravestone Studies
http://www.gravestonestudies.org/
he Association for Gravestone Studies (AGS) was founded in 1977 for the purpose of furthering the study and preservation of gravestones. AGS is an international organization with an interest in gravemarkers of all periods and styles. Through its publications, conferences, workshops and exhibits, AGS promotes the study of gravestones from historical and artistic perspectives, expands public awareness of the significance of historic gravemarkers, and encourages individuals and groups to record and preserve gravestones. At every opportunity, AGS cooperates with groups that have similar interests.