Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Classification And Discussion Of Victorian Coffin Handles From St. Thomas Church Cemetery, Jennifer Soutter

Leddy Library Reports

The symbols found on Victorian coffin handles reflect Victorian attitudes, feelings, and beliefs, towards and about death. Coffin handles depicting these death symbols were excavated from St. Thomas Church Cemetery in Belleville in the summer of 1989. The purpose of this paper is to provide a classification scheme for the handles and a discussion of the symbols found on them.