OT cemetery "bells"

[micky]

OT

I was in a cemetery in Virgina, one that went back to the 1800's, and lying around, not especially by graves, were 20 or 30 or more things that looked like bells with handles, maybe 15" long, 6" wide at the "bottom", but with no clapper. Made of some poured metal, iron or lead or an alloy. Silver or grey color. With a design on the handle and surface. Decorative, meant to be pretty.

Besides the ones by the water hose connection, next to the road, and those next to the "garden shed", I dont' think I saw any at any particular grave, but of course I didn't visit every grave.

What are these called? What do they do?

(FWIW the sides of the bell part were sort of S-shaped, starting at the handle and getting wider, then curving so the diammeter stayed the same, then getting wider again.)

[""Retired"]

Sounds like flower vases, maybe the kind that could be attached to a "mounting plate" in front of the headstone. Usually seen in older cemetery sections.

Maybe like these:

[micky]

YOu might be right. What I saw were more like these, thought the handle in these is thin for easy insertion into the ground. The handles I saw were an inch thick. I'll keep following this lead:

or like this, but cast metal, most of them with a diamond pattern, and much nicer.

The ones I saw had 5" handles, almost pointed at the end and 1" square at the "top" and I guess that is long enough for them to stand up straight when pushed into the ground. Aha, that's why they were along the road and by a bench, for people to take one when they brought flowers and use it at the grave they came to visit. (And they're not S-shaped, just cone-shaped with a flair at the top.)

You're right!. Thanks.

BTW, there was no one there to ask. Middle of a weekday. No employee and no visitor.