By Ruth Ellen Gruber
Yesterday I posted about my visit to Jewish cemeteries in Rhode Island — and I included a photo of the tombstone of a woman (Rebecca Polock) who died in 1764, aged 65. It bears the image of a winged head — very similar to the images found in Christian tombstones on New England from the Colonial period, of men and women alike. (These are usually described as “soul effigies” that symbolized the soul in spiritual transition from death toward “new life” in the afterworld.) The image seems to have developed from the death symbol of the winged skull as well as from depictions of the winged heads of cherubim.
Angel head over Hebrew epitaph. Rebecca, wife of a Mr. Polock, d. 1764
Winged angel head -- gravestone of Sarah Robinson, Newport RI. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber
One of the few Jewish tombstones I have seen with this image on it is this one in the Jewish cemetery in Nova Gorica, Slovenia (Gorizia, Italy). It appears to be that of a man named (I think) Avraham Rosati.
Winged head in Gorizia/Nova Gorica. Photo (c) Ruth Ellen Gruber
(Candle)sticks on Stone 