<!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see WP:SDNONE -->

Symbols of death are the motifs, images and concepts associated with death throughout different cultures, religions and societies.

Images

thumb|Image of the Grim Reaper on the tailfin of a [[U.S. Navy F-14D Tomcat of Flight Squadron, VF-101, nicknamed the "Grim Reapers."]]

thumb|Traditional [[Jolly Roger, the flag of Samuel Bellamy and other pirates of the 18th century, displaying a skull and crossbones.]]

Various images are used traditionally to symbolize death; these rank from blunt depictions of cadavers and their parts to more allusive suggestions that time is fleeting and all men are mortals.

The human skull is an obvious and frequent symbol of death, found in many cultures and religious traditions. Human skeletons and sometimes non-human animal skeletons and skulls can also be used as blunt images of death; the traditional figure of the Grim Reaper – a black-hooded skeleton with a scythe – is one use of such symbolism. Within the Grim Reaper itself, the skeleton represents the decayed body whereas the robe symbolizes those worn by religious people conducting funeral services. The skull is also important as it remains the only "recognizable" aspect of a person once they have died. Europeans were also seen to use coffins and cemeteries to symbolize the wealth and status of the person who has died, serving as a reminder to the living and the deceased as well. that is, an artistic or symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death. Clocks, hourglasses, sundials, and other timepieces both call to mind that time is passing. However, some animals tend to appear more frequently than others; such as dogs, bats, owls and crows.

Several societies associate a type of dog with death. Dogs often serve as companions or guides to humans. Unsurprisingly, these animals that are so much a part of human life would have a role in death as well. In Mexico, the Xoloitzcuintli, a hairless dog, is thought to guide the spirits of the deceased and are associated with Dia de Los Muertas. In Greece, Cerberus is a three-headed dog which guards the entrance to the underworld. In Welsh mythology, there is also a dog that guards the underworld. In England, the black dog, black shuck, is associated with death or misfortune.

Bats, as nocturnal animals, are often associated with darkness and death. In Christianity, bats are considered to be the bird of the devil and connections between the physiology of bats and demons are made. The discovery of the vampire bats in North America and the exaggeration of their qualities made lasting associations between bats and death that eventually lead to Dracula and vampire stories. The symbol of a grave or tomb, especially one in a picturesque or unusual location, can be used to represent death, as in Nicolas Poussin's famous painting Et in Arcadia ego.

Images of life in the afterlife are also symbols of death. Here, again, the ancient Egyptians produced detailed pictorial representations of the life enjoyed by the dead. In Christian folk religion, the spirits of the dead are often depicted as winged angels or angel-like creatures, dwelling among the clouds; this imagery of the afterlife is frequently used in comic depictions of life after death. Hindus similarly also wear white during mourning and funerals. During the Victorian era, purple and grey were considered to be mourning colors in addition to black. Furthermore, in Revelation 6 in The Bible, Death is one of the four horsemen; and he rides a pale horse.

See also

  • –

References

  • An analysis of symbols of Death on the tombstones of the Knights of the Order of St John at the St John's Co-Cathedral at Valletta, Malta, as appearing in Dane Munro, 'Memento Mori, a companion to the most beautiful floor in the world' (Malta, 2005), 2 vols. .