Good Mourning Augusta! 10/5/19
"The draped cinerary urn is probably the most common nineteenth-century funerary symbol."
~ "Stories in Stone" by Douglas Keister
It's a little strange if you consider cremation was not a popular practice at the time.
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It is, however a literal representation of "ashes to ashes, dust to dust", and a tradition of practice pre-dating Christianity. Consider "Pietas", the Roman Military value - when conditions prohibited burial of a notable leader the ashes were placed in a vessel to be carried to a permanent resting site.
The veil itself can be seen as a symbol between the earth and heavens during this journey. As the soul surely could not truly rest until it was home..
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These are unfortunately some of the memorials most susceptible to time.
We can't wait to tell you though about those restoring so many of the monuments on Crescent Hill!