In addition to paying a visit to Emmett, I expect to do a lot of skulking about cemeteries on this trip down to Pensacola with friends.

I came across a great source on gravestone symbolism, located here. Also, there’s an excellent source, Atlas Obscura, here, and below:

I often forget to look beyond just the words we see on tombstones. The symbols are also quite eloquent. Source: Atlas Obscura

When I was in Pensacola last, I took a photo of Emmett’s stone, which has a rather simple floral symbol engraved on it:

Pay no mind to the coffee cup.

It looks like dogwood, doesn’t it?

According to the gravestone symbolism site, dogwood symbolizes resurrection, sacrifice, eternal life. I’ll get another good look at it tomorrow, perhaps; maybe even clean it up a little bit if I can. I like thinking that would be the symbol one of Emmett’s loved ones had engraved on his stone. It’s somewhat appropriate, given he is having a sort-of resurrection in the form of a biography 100 years later!

Categories: Book Interesting & Odd Recommended Sources

Tagged as: Atlas Obscura cemetery

jsmith532

Professor,
Communication, Arts, and the Humanities
The University of Maryland Global Campus