Page "Symbols of death" Paragraph 8

Tombs, tombstones, and other items of funeral architecture are obvious candidates for symbols of death.

In ancient Egypt, the gods Osiris and Ptah were typically depicted as mummies ; these gods governed the Egyptian afterlife.

In Christianity, the Christian cross is frequently used on graves, and is meant to call to mind the crucifixion of Jesus.

Some Christians also erect temporary crosses along public highways as memorials for those who died in accidents.

In Buddhism, the symbol of a wheel represents the perpetual cycle of death and rebirth that happens in samsara.

The symbol of a grave or tomb, especially one in a picturesque or unusual location, can be used to represent death, as in Nicholas Poussin's famous painting Et in Arcadia ego.