The Scythe

How did the scythe or the sickle become associated with death? Well, obviously, the falling of the scythe represents the swiftness of death. But it also represents an instrument of harvest, namely of wheat. Similarly to the way that wheat is cut down, so are we when God calls us home. We are, in fact, a harvest of souls.

The scythe has been used to represent death for ages, and is the instrument the Grim Reaper uses to strike people down. In Medieval times, the Grim Reaper was shown as a foul, grim character whose body was foul and rotting. Nowadays, however, his image has softened considerably.

Some also claim that the scythe is a lunar symbol representing the feminine, however, in mythology, it's carried only by a male figures.

Another popular wielder of the scythe is Father Time.