The tombstone motifs most prevalent in 19th-century Antigonish were steeped in religious and ethnic symbolism. They spoke eloquently of the cultural values that permeated this predominantly Scottish Catholic community during the 19th century. The thistle and rosette were popular ornaments in Scottish graveyards. These motifs travelled with the cultural baggage of Scottish immigrants to North America. The strong religious faith that inspired these same people found expression in tombstone carvings of the dove, cross, chalice, lamb, pointing finger and flowers. These elaborate emblems of mortality symbolized variously the Holy Spirit, Christ's sacrificial crucifixion, Christian constancy, perfection, righteousness, peace, devotion, beauty, transitory life and resurrection.

By the late 19th century, tombstone motifs incorporated more oblique images of death. They proclaimed messages of hopefulness rather than specific teachings of the Christian church. The column, obelisk, Grecian figure and urn reflected the Victorian enthusiasm for the classical past. Changing attitudes towards death were mirrored in such ecumenical symbols as ivy, poppy, oak, acorn and rose. These metaphorical representations epitomized more romanticized notions such as memory, sleep and immortality and masked the urgliness of finality. In short, the spectre of hell had been usurped by visions of heaven as a “domesticated haven”. Although much of this iconography may seem alien to us today, such symbols were meaningful and eminently intelligible to even the ordinary person in the 19th century.

Early 19th –century Antigonish stone carvers had a decided preference for sandstone. However, by the 1840s, marble with its more luminous qualities, gained popularity. Later in the century, stones became more diverse as designers experimented with different colours, textures and media such as granite, iron, bronze and zinc. Shortly before 1900, granite gained prominence, highly prized for its durability and colour versatility. For a brief period of time, the foundery-cast “white bronze” monument became a favourite choice with consumers. It had great stylistic appeal offering ostentatious three-dimensional renditions of flaming urns, drapery-covered columns and Grecian statuary. The St. Thomas White Bronze Company, which operated in Ontario from 1883 to 1900, dominated the Canadian market and touted their product as fashionable and indestructible. Several examples of this genre can be seen in both the St. Ninian’s and Cloverville Cemeteries. Clearly, by the late 19th century, local Antigonish cemeteries, like their North American counterparts, were filled with ever larger and more ornate sculptural forms. The graveyard was a study in contrasts with its stones of varying sizes, shapes and motifs. In the 20th century, the cemetery underwent another physical transformation. By this time, stones tended to be more horizontal and reduced in scale with standardized motifs and inscriptions.

Hand and book	Scottish thistle
Cross and chalice	Celtic cross and Greek abbreviation for Jesus Christ
Cross, dove, pointing hand and oak leaves	Kneeling angels, dove, cross and sacrifical lamb
Roses	Rosette
Cross with ivy	Cross and weeping willow
Dove	Cross and anchor
Weeping willow and open book	Pointing hand and flowers
Clasped hands	Weeping willow
Lamb	Rose
Masonic images	Lamb and cross
Heavenly crown, cross and palm leaves