Sedlec Ossuary Project

Past, Present, and Future... How interestingly they intertwine sometimes. We've talked about the Past - the creators, the artists, the history, and the dead. And now... “Let's talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs; Make dust our paper and with rainy eyes, Write sorrow on the bosom of the earth.” - William Shakespeare Understanding the symbols on old gravestones gives greater insight into the past, be it a drawing, word, or symbolical representation. It’s a story, a message, and emotions carved in stone. We would like to share just a small portion of the fascinating, but simple, symbols of birth and death to help in translation. * born † died (*) born out of wedlock †* stillborn *† died on birthday ≈ baptized o engaged ⚭ married ⚮ divorced ⚯ unmarried ⚔ killed in action ⚰ buried ⚱ cremated You will find many old gravestones around the Ossuary, and a few plaques inside to read. There will be even more history explained in printed pamphle...

At the top of the wide descending staircase, and under the windows to either side, are bones arranged into the letters “IHS” and the Greek "IHΣ" topped with a cross. These are symbols often used in liturgical settings, and are believed to be the abbreviated Greek spelling of Jesus. Surrounding the letters are femurs, tibias, and mandibles iconically arranged in the form of solar rays, often representing a symbol of peace. And finally, there are three skulls on the top and sides, recalling the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Originally, the Schwarzenberg family's coat of arms that Rint created out of bones, was hanging here in this entranceway, above the staircase. But it was later moved to the vaulted archway in the ossuary below, where it hangs today. We are currently still researching as to when this happened, and what the reasoning was for this move. In its place, now hangs skulls, pelvic bones, and other assorted leg bones in the form of a cross and solar rays. The ve...