Common Symbols of Death

There are many symbols that are commonly associated with death, and they can vary depending on culture, religion, and personal beliefs. Here are a few common symbols of death:

• Bats – We see them on Halloween, but bats have been said to represent death and rebirth, transition, out with the old, and beginning of the new.
• Black Cats – They’re suspected of being bad luck, but black cats are also believed to be a sign of death or certain death.
• Black – The color black is widely known as the color of grief and mourning. Many choose to wear it to funerals.
• Butterflies – Because of the transition that butterflies go through during their metamorphosis, they have long been considered a symbol of death. An old Irish folklore says, “Butterflies are souls of the dead waiting to pass through purgatory.” Similarly, the Aztecs believed butterflies are responsible for carrying souls to and from the realm of the dead. In Mexico, the monarch butterfly's arrival coincides with the Day of the Dead celebration.
• Chrysanthemums – These flowers with their perfectly placed petals represent a variety of things. However, in countries like Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, and Japan the representative of death, loss, grief, and mourning. Specifically, in Japan, white Chrysanthemums symbolize death.
• Coffins – Coffins are perhaps one of the most powerful symbols of death. Designed to hold the remains of those who pass away. However, in some European countries, they’re also a symbol of wealth and prestige.
• Cypress Tree – Interestingly the cypress tree is one of the oldest symbols of mourning. It’s also associated with death, often found in cemeteries. This unlikely association came because it failed to regenerate when severely pruned.
• Grim Reaper – Long thought of as the symbol of death itself. But also commonly used for anticipatory death and general mortality.
• Hyacinth – These sweet-smelling flowers are commonly used in funeral arrangements and represent deep sorrow.
• Lily – Lilies represent peacefulness, purity, and new life. They are commonly labeled “funeral flowers” because of the representation that those who passed away have returned to a peaceful state.
• Ravens – The raven has long been associated with death. This dates back to Ancient Greece and Roman times. They believed that ravens were a message from the gods foretelling death and destruction.
• Red Poppies – In the 19^th century after the Napoleonic Wars, the desolate land began to regrow red poppies. This happened again in World War I in the fields of Northern France. Since that time, have been used to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, for remembrance and death.
• Skeleton – The image of a skeleton is often used to represent death and the body returning to its basic elements.
• Skulls – Many cultures regard the skull as a powerful symbol of death. However in Mexico, during the Day of the Dead, they decorate skulls in bright colors to honor their loved ones who have passed away.
• Snakes – In many cultures snakes are a symbol of death and ruin. In the Christian culture, Satan made himself into a serpent and tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit becoming the first sin in God’s new world (Genesis 3).
• Spiders – According to legends from Ancient Greece and Egypt, spiders were named symbols of death because it was believed they spun webs to trap both the living and the dead.
• Crescent moon – In some cultures, the crescent moon is a symbol of death, as it represents the end of something and the beginning of something else.
• Hourglass – Often the hourglass represents mortality, showing how quickly life passes and the fragility of life.
• Scythe – This old tool was used to cut crops, and is often seen in the hand of the Grim Reaper as a symbol of death or "harvester of souls."
• The Tree of Life and Tree of Death -- Some cultures see the tree of life as a symbol of continuity and the tree of death as a symbol of the end.
• Tombstones – Regardless of ethnic background, religious views, or thoughts on death and the afterlife, tombstones are commonly placed to represent someone who passed away.
• Vultures – Often called buzzards, these large birds can be seen circling dead or dying animals—adding them as a common symbol of death.
• Wings – Wings are often used as a symbol of the soul, and the idea of the soul taking flight after death.
• Wolves – As one of the most respected and feared animals, the wolf represents death and devastation in German and Norse mythology.