The Old Ross Burial Ground stands as a historically significant site, offering a window into the region’s early colonial history. The gravestones are adorned with various symbols and motifs, each with rich meanings that reflect 19th-century Christian Iconography and Victorian funerary practices.
In the Victorian era, flowers became vessels of coded messages through a practice known as floriography. Take, for example, the Morning Glory motif on one headstone in the burial ground. This flower, which blooms at dawn and fades by nightfall, symbolises the fleeting nature of life and the certainty of death.
One gravestone features an image of an Angel with a Trumpet, a symbol deeply tied to the Last Judgement in Christian theology. According to scriptures, the sound of the trumpet heralds the resurrection and a soul’s transition to eternal rest. In some interpretations, the figure may also represent the archangel Michael, the “angel of death,” with its skull-like face and mourning wreath, symbolising a life taken suddenly.
The Chalice seen on another headstone is a central Christian symbol, representing the Holy Communion or Eucharist. This symbol reflects hope for eternal life.
Above the name of an infant on another gravestone is a Crown. The crown symbolises the “Crown of Life” and eternal peace in heaven. For a child, it signifies their place in heaven as a pure soul, untouched by sin, and as a reminder of their eternal peace.
Finally, one headstone features a poignant symbol of a Tree with an Axe embedded in it. This image is said to represent a life cut short and is seen on the graves of young people or those who died unexpectedly.
Each of these headstones reflects the beliefs and hopes of 19th-century Ross, making it a poignant part of the town’s colonial history.
Morning Glory Motif
Angel with a Trumpet
Crown on Infant Grave
Tree with an Axe in its Trunk
