<I>Wire frame, sickle</I>

ca. 1860-1940

The sickle flower frame was a popular funeral tribute, and one of the more recognizable symbols of death. As such, it was not appropriate for everyone. This design was an inexpensive option for the funeral because it did not require many flowers to achieve the shape. A few sprigs of wheat were often included, as if they had just been cut by the blade. The sheaf was made of the stabilized, dried grasses known as “everlastings,” many of which were imported from Italy. The sheaf of wheat also implied a rich harvest and plenty. The concept of the harvest saw the sickle flower frame frequently combined with a sheaf of wheat. Signifying both death and the harvest-cycle, the sickle and sheaf implied self-renewal. Though cutting the stalk meant certain death, spreading the seeds from the ear guaranteed new life, making this design symbolic of death and hope. It was also symbolic of a long and fruitful life, hence the saying “ripe old age.” This design was also only suitable for the elderly because they had opportunity to create a life well-lived; whereas for those who had died in youth, such a symbol only implied what the deceased had been denied. The harvest was a popular theme for funeral sermons, and the “Harvest Hymn” was frequently sung at the funeral services for the elderly. These designs were often taken home after the funeral and framed for a lasting tribute in the home. The sickle was also a mortality symbol. It is an attribute to both Death and Time. This connection came from the European tradition and carried over to New World. Death and Time, known to destroy all things, used the sickle as one of the “weapons of death” along with the ax, bow and arrow, lance, trident, and sword. This symbol, like death, brought all things down to the same level. It could be an instrument of punishment, choosing its victims, or a blind instrument, striking indiscriminately at all living things.