Anna Fairley Nielsson
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annaandthedead.bsky.social
Anna Fairley Nielsson
@annaandthedead.bsky.social
270 followers 50 following 260 posts
Photographer and archaeologist undertaking AHRC-funded research into the archaeology of Liverpool's cemeteries 🪦 She/her 🏳️‍🌈
https://linktr.ee/annafn
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Reposted by Anna Fairley Nielsson
gravestones-ne.bsky.social
#31daysofgraves Day 24: Unique Animal. A pair of griffins (I think?) on the tablestone for Leonard Chester, 1648, in Wethersfield, Connecticut. It is one of the oldest dated gravestones in New England, and it was carved by my distant grandfather(s), Matthew and/or George Griswold.
October 24, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Reposted by Anna Fairley Nielsson
normaexplores.bsky.social
Day 24 #31DaysOfGraves and the prompt is 'unique animal'. Ive taken a bit of a liberty and chosen a reptile 🐢 But I couldn't not share this wonderful tortoise.

📍St John the Baptist, Aylmerton, Norfolk
October 24, 2025 at 12:19 PM
annaandthedead.bsky.social
👀 www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
Check out this Land for sale on Rightmove
Land for sale in Land for Sale – Burial Ground, Keighley Road, Denholme, BD13 4JJ, BD13 for £10,000. Marketed by David Hill, Skipton
www.rightmove.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 3:38 PM
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womensartbluesky.bsky.social
#Halloween quilt via Sylvia Schaefer, Flying parrot Quilts #WomensArt
Quilt with images of bats, spiders and webs
October 31, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Reposted by Anna Fairley Nielsson
gravestones-ne.bsky.social
#31daysofgraves Day 31: Memento Mori. Henry Robe, 1807, at Copp’s Hill Burying Ground in Boston. Carved by William Bartlett. I know it’s supposed to be an hourglass that he is holding, but I prefer to think of it as the reaper unwinding and enjoying a cold beer after a long day of harvesting souls.
October 31, 2025 at 12:12 PM
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debsadelight.bsky.social
#31daysofgraves
Day31 #mementomori
‘remember (that you have) to die"

Morebattle Cemetery Kelso Scottish Borders
One engraved in the exterior wall of the church
Another on the cemetery wall
One a headstone
I think we get the message!
October 31, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Reposted by Anna Fairley Nielsson
pastandotherplaces.bsky.social
Legacies in Stone will create many opportunities for people to get involved in local historic #graveyards. #LocalHistory #genealogy #Edinburgh #31DaysOfGraves
ewh.org.uk/legacies-in-...
Legacies in Stone wins funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund   - Edinburgh World Heritage
This Halloween, Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH) is excited to announce that it has successfully secured funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Legacies in Stone: Connecting Communities wit...
ewh.org.uk
October 31, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Reposted by Anna Fairley Nielsson
alisonm.bsky.social
The last day of #31DaysOfGraves 31: memento mori. These symbols seem to be very common here in Scotland. Here are just a few from Stirling and Northumberland.
Thanks so much for sharing all your pictures. I've really enjoyed seeing them. Thanks too to @annaandthedead.bsky.social for organising! 🎃👻🎃👻
Gravestone dated 1696 featuring a skull and crossbones and an hourglass The top of an old gravestone, carved with the words 'memento mori' A skull and crossbones carved on an old gravestone An old gravestone featuring some typical memento mori symbols: a skull, compasses, an hourglass and crossed bones. St Aidan's, Bamburgh
October 31, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Reposted by Anna Fairley Nielsson
marcti.bsky.social
DAY 31: Memento Mori.
Last one. It's been a pleasure to participate in #31DaysOfGraves. I've learned a lot and meet very interesting people while starting to acclimatize to Bluesky. Thank you @annaandthedead.bsky.social 🙂

Cemetery of Staglieno (Genova, 08/2015)
Digital stereo pair / i3Dsteroid
October 31, 2025 at 10:25 AM
annaandthedead.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves Day 31 - Memento mori: Joseph Tapping's headstone at King's Chapel Burying Ground, Boston, Mass. 😍☠️⌛. Died 1678, aged 23y.
FUGIT HORA! Time flies! Today is the end of 31 Days. Thank you SO much all who joined me.
An elaborate slate headstone featuring multiple motifs representing "memento mori", including a winged skull with hourglass on top, and beneath a depiction of a struggle between a skeleton and Father Time. The skeleton is armed with an arrow and a candle snuffer, and is attempting to put out a large candle. A close up of the carving featuring the skeleton and Father Time. Underneath is the phrase "Tempus erat" The top of the headstone features a winged skull with hourglass on top, and the words, Fugit Hora, Memento Mori. In an inscribed arch on the right hand side of the gravestone are the words "Vive Memor Loethi, Fugit Hora"
October 31, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Reposted by Anna Fairley Nielsson
scotchurchestrust.bsky.social
Day 30 of #31DaysOfGraves - Colour

A wide array of varied species of lichen and mosses provide most of the colour that visitors see when wandering around historic Scottish graveyards...
October 30, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Reposted by Anna Fairley Nielsson
simoninsuffolk.bsky.social
A windmill on the headstone of John Whittowe, the parish miller, at Hilgay, Norfolk, 1891. He's shown unloading the cart and carrying a sack of grain into the mill.

#31DaysofGraves 29: occupation
October 29, 2025 at 8:17 AM
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neocortex.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves
Day 30: COLOURS -
Yesterday I found wonderful autumn colors in the cemetery.
The yellow of the large ginkgo tree shone particularly beautifully against the grey sky.
And I even found time for a quick sketch. 🤗🎨🖌️

Cemetery Lütgendortmund

📍
#Dortmund
#Ruhrgebiet
#Germany
Sketchbook in front of the scenery. Lots of trees with autumn colours.
October 30, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Reposted by Anna Fairley Nielsson
songthrush83.bsky.social
Day 30 #31daysofgraves - colour. A red, blue, gold and white Christogram inlaid on the headstone of William Righton who died aged 31 in 1867. I’m impressed at the durability of this decoration, considering it’s over a hundred and fifty years old.
A headstone with the top part shaped like a cross. There is a colourful inlaid Christogram in gold on a blue background with a white crown at each corner, and a border of red with gold xs. The inscription reads: In affectionate remembrance of William son of William and Mary B. Righton Who died January 21st 1867 Aged 31 years
October 30, 2025 at 11:02 AM
annaandthedead.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves Day 30 - Colour: Coloured tiles on the monument to Daniel McCoy of Carrickmacross, d.1868, buried at Ford Cemetery, Liverpool.
The pedestal of a damaged monument featuring a plaque commemorating Daniel McCoy. Above the plaque is a circular blue, red, and white tile, featuring the IHS symbol. A closer view of the circular IHS tile. A circular tile featuring the lamb of God on the other side of the monument. The prompts list for 31 Days of Graves
October 30, 2025 at 3:19 PM
annaandthedead.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves Day 29 - Occupation: I haven't seen many women's occupations on C19th memorials. Ann Wallace was a corset maker, died 1857. At Nellfield Cemetery, Aberdeen.
A short grey granite obelisk commemorating Ann Wallace. The prompts list for 31 Days of Graves
October 29, 2025 at 12:49 PM
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songthrush83.bsky.social
#31daysofgraves day 28 - column. I know I’m slightly cheating by posting a photo of a grave I used for another prompt but I remembered I have the original paperwork for it: “best York stone coursing, best White Hard Sicilian Marble Column Headstone, Kerbs, and Posts, as design selected.”
An invoice from James Beresford and Sons, Belper, monument makers. The total cost of the headstone, including the inscription and cemetery fees was £32 11s A marble headstone with two columns on each side. The inscription reads: In memory of Sarah Ann Beloved wife of William Mills Who died 15th July 1934 Aged 79 years Time passes, shadows fall, But love and remembrance outlast all. From husband, sons and daughters. Also of William, Husband of the above Who died 15th February 1936 Aged 80 years Re-united. William’s date of death is incorrect, it should read 12th February.
October 28, 2025 at 2:20 PM
annaandthedead.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves Day 28 - Column: Well a round tower is basically a column... Kate Mary Scott & her husband Anthony (an architect) are commemorated by this depiction of an Irish round tower (cloigtheach) at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.
A granite cemetery monument in the shape of a round tower, topped with a cross. It is mounted on a rock shaped base and is surrounded by other memorials. The base of the monument says it was erected by Anthony Scott in memory of his wife Kate Mary. The prompts list for 31 Days of Graves.
October 28, 2025 at 9:30 AM
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constancereid.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves "Tree" This grave in Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago, marks the resting place of George S. Bangs. While serving in the administration of Ulysses Grant, Mr. Bangs developed the railroad mail car. This achievement is memorialized in the base of the stone tree.
A tall stone tree trunk with vines winding up to the top. At the base, a rail car enters a tunnel.
October 27, 2025 at 5:40 PM
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listerlanecem.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves Day 27: Tree
Tree on gravestone at Lister Lane Cemetery.
October 27, 2025 at 12:57 PM
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gravestones-ne.bsky.social
#31daysofgraves Day 27: Tree. This gravestone for Jonathan Chaffe, 1818, shows a tree that has been cut down, representing the end of life. It is located in Hampden, Massachusetts. Carved by an unidentified carver, possibly from Longmeadow.
October 27, 2025 at 1:14 PM
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jeelyeater1.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves Day 27: Tree. Trees on tombstones. In the Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh.
October 27, 2025 at 7:26 AM
annaandthedead.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves Day 27 - Tree: Most depictions of trees on memorials in Liverpool are willows on headstones made of Welsh slate. 1/ Toxteth Park Cemetery 1859, 2/ St Michael's Garston 1873, 3/ Anfield Cemetery 1883, 4/ St James' Cemetery 1885.
A stylised willow tree at the top of a headstone commemorating Mary WIlliams of Carnarvonshire. A relief carving of a willow tree draped over a broken column. A relief carving of a stylised willow tree at the top of a headstone commemorating Thomas Jones. A relief carving of a willow tree with a broken column behind. The carving is at the top of a headstone comemmorating Mary Ann, wife of David Woods.
October 27, 2025 at 10:30 AM
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ohfolkthat.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves
Day 26 - Figure

I've always loved this angel with a star on her head in the General Protestant Cemetery in St John's, NL
The figure of an angle on top of a gravestone in the General Protestant Cemetery in St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. She holds on broken hand in the air, her wings behind her, and a star on her head. The gravestone inscription reads: Mother In memory of Emily Milley Wife of W. J. Bartlett Died Dec 29, 1931 Aged 62 Years The epitaph is diffucult to read due to some of the leaded letters being missing A close up of the angel
October 26, 2025 at 11:10 AM
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donnamartina.bsky.social
#31DaysOfGraves Tag / Day 26: Figur / Figure

Eine Katze und der Mond
Ein kleines Urnengrab circa 80 × 80 cm. Darauf eine niedrige Bepflanzung mit einjährigen Blumen, in grün, gelb und weiß. Zwischen den Blumen steht die Bronze-Figur einer Katze mit hoch erhobenem Schwanz. Sie reckt den Kopf nach oben, als wollte sie etwas genauer betrachten. Schräg vor ihr steht ein spitzer, schroffer Felsen, ebenfalls aus Bronze, darauf ruht eine Granitkugel, die den Mond darstellt. Zweige eines Fächerahorns ragen in das Bild hinein und verdecken auf dem Mond die in Schreibschrift geschriebenen Lebensdaten des Verstorbenen. Das ganze Ensemble ist etwa 50 cm breit und etwa 75 cm hoch.
October 26, 2025 at 11:38 AM