Sunday, 20 September 2009
Just a Broken Ornament
It was just a glint of light that caught my eye that led me to look more closely at this grave. Resting at its base was a porcelain figure that had seen better days. It had suffered damage - loss of the head and an arm. I still found it captivating and I started to ponder. It was obviously loved enough to continue to leave it on display but, like all these things, created a mystery. Why, when something like this shatters, is there no sign of the shattered head and arm. Has someone taken it? Did a relative take it home? Why was it not repaired? Remembering the broken but repaired broken angel or the damaged statue of a boy posted on The Graveyard Detective, I wonder what happened to the bits?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hi Laurie, perhaps a large jackdaw carried them off to decorate his nest with ? I'm often intrigued by the number of broken ornaments in cemeteries, and wonder if they are caused by vandalism, or just the ravages of time, storms, animals, in France there are often feral cats living in cemeteries that may brush up against ornaments and knock them over ? I often have the impression it is vandals though, as the violence necessary to break some of the things I see broken, crosses, crucifixes seems beyond hazard. But what happened to your small cherub or angel here ?... only heaven knows...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Owen. But it still begs the question: "Where do all the bits go?"
ReplyDeleteLaurie
That is a mystery. I would like to think that these items are broken by accident and not by design.
ReplyDeleteMaybe time causes things to fall into the grass that covers it from sight of the mowers...when the grass is mowed it is broken and pieces flung far afield..with only the larger pieces being picked up and sat upon a headstone.
I think it's perfect.
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued by the inscriptions on the grave, trying to imagine the story which led to this monument. William Henry lived for 32 years, so was born in 1857, while Clara Ruth was five years younger - so it was a young love match, tragically truncated by his early death. Clara Ruth lived until the age of 89, and must either have remarried or lived under her maiden name for 65 years (the surnames, although not fully legible, are obviously different) - and yet she was buried together with William. You can't help but wonder, can you? I wish I was a novelist.
ReplyDeleteWhenever we visit my cat Baby's grave sight in the woods. A bear has given her headstone a little shove. Or maybe the "sleeping cat" marker wakes up and walks off on it's own.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they represent the condition in which the body was buried.
ReplyDeletethat is a very poignant image...
ReplyDeleteStrange how this looks so intriguing! Your right, I do wonder? Your blog is really great too.
ReplyDeleteI am a collector of worn, torn, weathered, rusty and broken-- some of this attraction is because I love textures but the broken stuff-- doll parts and so on I won't try to analyze or figure out. But I do find them intriguing.
ReplyDeletei guess somethings in life can not be repaired or replaced and one has accept this. The broken porcelain represents this quite well. Interesting and thought provoking post. Have a great Sunday
ReplyDeleteI wonder too...it would be a great idea for the plot in a book.....
ReplyDeleteLovely, lovely shots, as ever Laurie! How are you? How is Blackpool? It's half term here, so I am being a bit noughty, and having a peep at your blog!
ReplyDeleteHope you're well!
xx
Hi Laurie... miss you, hope you'll be back...
ReplyDeleteThe bits must have become one with the earth. Strangely, disfigured pieces, sad as it is, evoke a mystery about them, and a certain poignancy as well!
ReplyDeletei always LOVE graveyards.
ReplyDeleteIt's been over a month, I hope all is well.
ReplyDelete