Often shown with wings, carved on many graves, it is a reminder that time flows on relentlessly, even for the living who stand looking at the stone. What object is its symbol?
The answer
The hourglass, often carved with wings, symbolises the passing of time. Found on many graves at Père-Lachaise, it reminds the living that the time left to them is running out, just as it ran out for the deceased.
This question belongs to the “Symbols and Allegories” series of the Père-Lachaise quiz: ten questions, a story behind every right answer.