Broken Column Brooch

The Broken Column symbol was first used as a brooch in America during the Civil war to identify ladies of Masons who were fighting. In Freemasonry today, the broken column is used as an emblem to show the fall of a Brother and has been adopted as an identifying emblem to be worn in public by the Widow of a Mason, especially when travelling, to allow Masons to recognise the wearer as a Masonic Widow and to extend those courtesies which are due, along with the assistance to which she should be entitled.