Daily AncestorWreath
A wreath on a gravestone stands for victory over death and for memory; wreaths go back to the leaf crowns of ancient victors.
Wreaths grew out of the earliest crowns of leaves and branches given to winners. Colonial carvers used a wreath or garland for victory, and on a few early stones a skull wears one, meaning the victory of death over life.
On 19th century stones the wreath means the dead have triumphed over death, and it also stands for remembrance. The plant matters: a laurel wreath points to distinction in the arts, letters, sport or military life.
As seen in a recordTown cemetery, 1830 to 1920
Wreath enclosing the initials J. R. M.: John R. Merriwell, Aug. 4, 1830, Jan. 22, 1895
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Wreath." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/gravestone-symbols/wreath. Last checked 2026-10-15.