Saturday 16 May 2009

Project Critique - Visual Symbolism in Burial Monuments

Project Critique - Visual Symbolism in Burial Monuments


This project critique will consider whether my initial aims have been met and whether the project can be considered to be valid and reliable.

The aim of this project was to concentrate on symbolism found on memorials in two similar burial grounds, the Campbell of Dunstaffnage burial ground at Dunstaffnage Chapel and the MacDougall of Dunollie burial ground at Kilbride Church. The primary aim of this project was to discover whether the symbols employed by the two families can give us an insight into the kind of messages they were attempting to portray to society. The secondary aim was to prove that there is similar, repetitive symbolism in these monuments, and whether there were any differences in the symbolism between the monuments.

I believe the primary aim has been met and that the symbols found in both burial grounds can tell us something about what the families wished to portray to society. The most obvious example is the repeated use of the family mottos found in both burial grounds. These portray a clear message about who the people were, their history and status. Various religious symbols were also found on the gravestones such as the Skull and Crossbones and the Celtic crosses which emphasise the religious beliefs of the people who created these monuments and wished that their deceased relatives would experience mortality and an eternity of peace in the after life.

It is fair to say that the secondary aim has also been met. Particular symbols appeared again and again in both monuments, for example the family mottos and crosses. There were also differences between the two monuments with their use of different symbols, this can be explained by the time in which the monuments were erected and the slight difference with Kilbride in that it was a parish burial ground as well as a family burial ground. The Skull and Crossbone symbol features prominently at Dunstaffnage while there are no examples of it at Kilbride. Kilbride also has examples of symbols such as the wreath and leaves of which there are no examples at Dunstaffnage.

So much more could be said about the symbolism at these monuments but I have tried to limit the examples to the most widely used symbols used at both places. Visual symbolism in burial monuments is such a huge subject that I would not be able to go any further into it in fear of getting completely carried away with the subject and forgetting my main aims of this small project.

I believe that this project is valid and that it has measured what I intended it to. I made specific choices about which symbols to document and I have tried to be consistent with the samples by photographing similar symbols. I think that the data proves to be reliable because I was photographing inanimate objects so I didn't have to worry about the reaction of the subject. The project can be considered as reliable as it provided consistent results which could be achieved again under similar circumstances. I believe that all the photographs I have included are relevant to the project aims and I don't think there is anything here that could be considered as being out of context in relation to the project aims.

However, there will always be issues with validity and reliability when a researcher is involved. Perhaps the validity and reliability could be questionable because of my own bias towards the project and the involvement of my own perspectives. After all, I made a choice about what to include and what to exclude in relation to the aims of the project. But there will always be issues with these concepts and I think overall that my project can be considered to be valid and reliable.

I found it was necessary to provide a small comment on the symbols that appear in the photographs so that anyone looking at them could understand the context and meanings of some of these symbols which they might not have initially understood without this commentary. For the society that created these monuments the symbolism would be clear to anyone at the time who was looking at these symbols. Most were the product of a period in time when literacy levels were lower than they are today, so symbols were an important means of communicating certain messages to society.

I have enjoyed the undertaking of this project, going out and taking photos and setting up my blog. The only issues I was faced with was the usual terrible west coast weather which scuppered my attempts at getting decent photos several times. I enjoyed setting up the blog as well having never used a blog before. The only issues that annoyed me about the blog was the length of time it took to upload photos and the fact that I couldn't arrange them into separate albums without uploading everything again. I thought about creating a slideshow but couldn't face uploading all the photos again. Unfortunately because of this my Kilbride photos are not in the order I would have wished because I had to add new versions after uploading the original ones. But the Dunstaffnage ones turned out okay once I had worked out the order in which I wanted to upload them. Overall I have really enjoyed this class, taking photos is always enjoyable and I didn't feel like I was actually doing any work!

Visual symbolism in Burial Monuments

This visual sociology project concentrates on some of the visual symbolism that can be found on burial monuments. I have concentrated on two similar burial grounds: The Campbells of Dunstaffnage Burial ground at Dunstaffnage Chapel and the MacDougalls of Dunollie burial ground at Kilbride church. Both burial grounds are from around the same time period, the mid to late 18th century. The burial grounds are linked to two of the most powerful families in the area and along with burials dedicated to members of the family there are also examples of graves which belong to members of the local community. I have concentrated on the symbols employed by the families and what they can tell us about the message they wished to portray to society. I have attempted to photograph symbols which are repeated, but I also wanted to see if there were any different symbols which appeared in the burial grounds. I thought it would be interesting to find out if there are similarities or differences in the symbolism used in these monuments.

Tuesday 12 May 2009

Dunstaffnage Chapel



Dunstaffnage Chapel was built in the mid 13th century and is a perfect example of the wealth and sophistication of its builder, Duncan MacDougall. No other chapel of this date in mainland Scotland can match it for quality. Little is known about the chapel other than it was a family chapel which served the inhabitants of the castle, it was never a parish church. In 1740 when the chapel had become ruinous the Campbells of Dunstaffnage incorporated a burial aisle into the east gable. It contains memorials to members of the Campbell family.

Burial aisle from the front

Burial aisle entrance



This door acts as a barrier to keep the Chapel private. It is unclear whether there was originally a door there, but because the Chapel is part of a tourist attraction the door has been added to keep people out.

Latin Inscription on Burial Aisle entrance




fiacre, margarita et ludovice
Orate Pro Nobis
mcmxxx

St Fiacre,St Margaret and St Louis
Pray For Us
1930

The previous Captain of Dunstaffnage believed the Chapel was dedicated to St Fiacre, patron of Brie in N. France. St Margaret of Scotland and St Louis of France were added because the Captain claimed descent from both.

This inscription was a way for the Campbells of Dunstaffnage to show off their status and royal descent.

Skull and Crossbone on entrance wall



The skull and crossbone symbol is a common symbol which appears on gravestones and burial monuments. It means death and mortality.

It also reminds me of a gargoyle or a grotesque which are quite common on older buildings. These are believed to be used to symbolise and ward off the evil outside of the building and protect the beauty of the inside.

Chapel interior



View from the far end of the chapel, looking towards the burial aisle. A column memorial can be seen behind the wall. The wall is the boundary of the burial aisle, it excludes people from gaining access.

Monday 11 May 2009

Pediment on 18th century funerary monument



Scroll Reads 'Arise ye dead and come to judgement!'

Lots of symbolism going on here:
Angel with trumpets= Call to the resurrection.
Skull and Crossbones= Death and mortality.
Hour glass= Passage of time
5 point star= Star of Bethlehem, divine guidance and protection.

Celtic cross memorial



Symbolising Christiantiy and eternity.

This is the grave of Edith Islay Campbell, died in 1864 aged 13 months.

Granite cross gravestone



Repeated symbolism: Eternity, Christianity.

Grave of 21st Captain of Dunstaffnage



The gravestone of the 21st Captain of Dunstaffnage, Michael Eadon Campbell. Campbell of Dunstaffnage motto at the top of the stone.

Campbell of Dunstaffnage Motto



This symbol is the Motto of the Campbells of Dunstaffnage.

Vigilando = To watch over or guard.

Anchor = Several symbolic possibilities: seafaring background, hope, used as a symbol for the cross. The use of an anchor can also mean that the ship (i.e. the body/soul) has come home to port. Also Masonic symbolism for well-grounded hope.

Grave of 20th Captain of Dunstaffnage



The grave of the 20th Captain of Dunstaffnage, Angus John Campbell.

Religious and family symbolism



There is quite a lot going on with the symbolism here.

There is a celtic cross at the top, symbolising Christianity and eternity.
The inscription 'O crux ave spes unica' means 'O Cross, our only hope'. It is part of a verse of a very early hymn but is used frequently as a Catholic motto.

The Campbells of Dunstaffnage motto is also here, symbolising that he is part of the family. Only they can use this motto.

Grave of the wife of the 21st Captain



This is the grave of Kathleen Campbell, wife of the 21st Captain of Dunstaffnage.

The Campbell of Dunstaffnage motto is again shown at the top of the stone, she is a member of the family.

Campbell of Dunstaffnage motto on Kathleen Campbell's grave



Repeated symbolism, the family motto appears again. This highlights her status and the fact that she is a member of the family.

The grave of Tatton Bardwell



This is the grave of Tatton Bardwell, husband of Mary Campbell of Dunstaffnage.

There is no Campbell of Dunstaffnage motto on this grave, he has been given the symbol of his own family name.

Bardwell family motto



The Bardwell family motto, 'Bear thee well'

Although he is not a Campbell of Dunstaffnage, his status means that he was significant enough to be buried in the family burial ground. His links to the family come through his wife.

Grave at the opposite end of the Chapel



This grave is at the opposite end of the chapel from the Campbells burial aisle. This person was obviously a significant member of the community for them to be buried in the family chapel. Obviously not a member of the Campbell family, but someone of importance anyway.

Skull and Crossbones symbolism: death and mortality.

It has been likened to other graves of members of the Masonic order. Perhaps this is their status if they have been permitted burial in this private chapel.

Skull and Crossbones



Close up of the skull and crossbones on the grave at the opposite end of the family section.

Thursday 7 May 2009

Kilbride Churchyard



Full shot of grave with wreath and leaf decoration.

Square and compass on column grave




The actual column itself is a symbol for mortality. This is the monument featuring the square and compass decoration of a mason's grave.

Celtic cross



Repeated symbolism: eternity, Christianity.

Basic cross



Repeated symbolism: Eternity, Christianity.

Another cross



Repeated symbolism: Eternity, Christianity.

Burial Ground extension



This is the extended area of the burial ground viewed from outside. This is where the later graves are, and this area is mostly full of the celtic cross memorials.

Notes the wall and fence= keep out! This is an exclusive area. Boundary between burial ground and parish burial area.

Horseshoe and leaf grave full shot

Saturday 2 May 2009

Kilbride Church and the MacDougall of Dunollie Burial Aisle




From Scran, photo taken c. 1935


Kilbride Church was rebuilt in 1740 over the ruins of the original church. There has been a church on this site since around the 13th century. The MacDougall burial aisle was added in 1786. This was one of the two parishes in the surrounding area before Oban had a population large enough to warrant a church in the town.

Overlooking the church and burial ground




Kilbride Church ruins on the left and MacDougall burial aisle on the right. In front of the church and burial aisle are the graves of members of the parish.

Looking out from the burial aisle at the cemetery





Some of the many gravestones surrounding the church and burial aisle.

The burial ground entrance




This is the entrance to the burial ground. Remaining jambs suggest there was a door at one point.

Gravestones crowd the front of the entrance now, you have to actually stand on them to get into the burial aisle. This shows a form of social exclusion, the graves outside the burial aisle did not belong to members of the MacDougall family so therefore were not allowed to be buried within the burial ground. They did do their best to get as close as possible to the hallowed ground though!

Entrance decoration




The MacDougall of Dunollie Coat of Arms and the date 1786

The MacDougall of Dunollie Coat of Arms



The MacDougall's heritage from the Gaels and the Norse is shown in the present arms of the MacDougall Chiefs with the lion of the ancient Scottish Kingdom of Dalriada and the black royal galley of the Norse.

Above the coat of arms is the symbol for the MacDougall Clan Motto 'Buaidh no bas', Victory or Death. This is the arm holding the cross.

This coat of arms can tell us a lot about what the MacDougalls were trying to portray. Firstly their status, this is an exclusive area only certain people will be admitted into. It is also informing people of their history and descent from the ancient Scottish Kingdom along with their Norse heritage and power they once had with their naval forces.

Celtic cross decoration on grave



The grave of Sir James Patten MacDougall of Gallanach. Deputy Clerk Register, Keeper of the Records, and Registrar-General for Scotland. Born 29th May 1849, Died 7th March 1919.

Although not a MacDougall of Dunollie, the MacDougall's of Gallanach are another closely related branch of the clan. His status was obviously significant enough for him to be buried in the burial aisle - this is an extended part of the burial ground, just outside the burial aisle which is full. Note the fence and wall behind the cross, this is a boundary between the other burials and the MacDougall area.

The cross itself portrays various ideas. Eternity, Christian beliefs, Celtic influences. Around the 1850's it became popular for crosses to be used as gravestones whereas beforehand the celtic crosses were more communal monuments.

29th Chief of the Clan MacDougall



This is a relatively simple grave compared with others in the burial ground. The stone itself is not that much bigger than this plaque. The words inscribed on the plaque provide you with the context and status of the person. The dragon headed galley is another symbol of the Norse descent of the MacDougalls.

More recent graves




This is another part of the extended burial ground which contains newer burials. The two small gravestones are that of the daughters of the 29th chief. They are relatively simple in decoration with a small MacDougall galley symbol at the top.

The extravagant grave in the middle is that of the late husband of the 30th Chief of the Clan. I thought this was quite unusual because although it is a grave slab similar to a cross, there is a lot going on with the symbolism. At the top you have the dragon headed galley of the MacDougalls symbolising their Norse heritage and naval power. There is a lot of entwining celtic design and in the middle within the circle is a horse with a banner, perhaps symbolising the clan's power.

Perhaps the graves are showing the difference in status of these people and the relationship to the Chief? Daughters of the Chief have quite modest stones while the husband of the Chief has a very extravagant stone.

Graves of members of the armed forces



Graves of MacDougalls' who were involved in the royal artillery and navy. Another cross here, repeated symbolism.

Square and compass decoration on column grave




This is another symbol commonly found on graves of people belonging to the masonic order.

Wreath and leaf symbols



Another MacDougall grave outside of the burial aisle.

The wreath symbolises victory in death, Christianity and Eternity.
The leaves symbolise regeneration and immortality.

Another well decorated grave, probably a family of reasonable status.

Horseshoe and leaf symbolism



Decorated gravestone in the parish section. This is actually a MacDougall gravestone as well, but not members of the MacDougalls of Dunollie. It is a nicely decorated stone and features some different symbols:

Horseshoe= Protection against evil, luck.
Leaves=Regeneration, immortality.

Probably a family of some status, the stone is well decorated.