Bequeathal is a very interesting word. It comes from the Middle English biquethen, which comes from the Old English becwethan, which is formed with the root be and the verb cwethan. Cwethan means to say, and it also gives us the word “quote,” from “quoth”. The prefix be can mean one of three things: thoroughly, to make or seem, and to provide with. So literally the word bequeathal means to make said, or to provide with saying. This makes sense because when something is bequeathed, it is made said, usually in legal terms.

To commemorate a bequeathal, bronze plaques are used. Sometimes other kinds of memorial plaques, like a Tree of Life or Donor Walls are used, but, coming full circle, the point of these bronze plaques is to show what has been said. In a way, donor plaques bequeath bequeathals.

Donor walls are standard forms of commemorating bequeathals, in that they do honor to the gift that has been presented. If there were no donor plaques, it would be equivalent to not recognizing that a gift has been given, in a way, denying the existence of the gift, or at least not saying thank you. So say thanks, and buy bronze plaques to commemorate your bequeathals.

If you’ve ever wanted to know more about engraving, here’s some information to pique your interest. Engraving is the practice of cutting grooves into metals including gold, silver, brass, steel or glass, and is used to personalize everything from jewelry, trophies, bronze plaques and memorial plaques to knives, firearms and pet tags.

Metal engraving dates back to the 5th century B.C. and was particularly prevalent in ancient Greece in the 3rd and 4th centuries B.C. Urns were embellished with mythological scenes and there was further use for engraving with the development of the alphabet. Engraving reached its peak in the 15th century A.D. as it was used to decorate armor and shields to announce a person’s alliance.

Engraving was traditionally done by hand using a steel-tipped cutting tool called a burin (from the French word meaning "cold chisel"). A burin is typically held at a 30 degree angle to the surface, with the index and middle finger guiding the shaft. (The 16th century Flemish engraver Hendrik Goltzius’s malformed hand was perfectly suited to guiding a burin!) Each engraver has his or her own style and may use round gravers to make round cuts or V-point gravers to make angled cuts.

Today, engraving is still done by hand or by using newer techniques like laser engraving. Through the use of computer-controlled intense beams of light, laser technology allows clean and precise engravings to be made at very fast speeds.

The tree of life is a common symbol in religious art of all denominations. Perhaps it is such a common motif in religious art, because of the deep meaning it implies. Its roots are in heaven, and the branches and leaves spread out and bring prosperity to the earth. The tree of life works well for donor walls because the donors, or the branches of the tree, spread and bring prosperity to the earth, and their good works are no doubt rooted in heaven.

The tree of life donor wall is a great way to give passer-bys a visual reminder of the people that opened their hearts and contributed to the prosperity of your organization. It also is also the perfect way to put a visual forth, of the amount of help your organization has received. The larger your tree, the more people you have working for your cause. So for those who haven’t donated, or are thinking about donating, this wall really puts into perspective how the pieces (or donors) no matter how small they are, they work together to form one cohesive whole.

(Prometheus Bound, Jacob Jordaens 1593-1678)

Philanthropy is a time honored tradition of giving and receiving. The word’s origins are from Prometheus Bound, thought to be written by Aeschylus in about 500 B.C.E. Prometheus’ name comes from philanthropos tropos and means a character of humanity loving . This is because the Titan gave humans optimism and fire, two gifts that allow us to distinguish ourselves from the beasts. Today, the word connotes an altruistic enhancement of a community through usually financial means. If you have experienced any philanthropy recently and your bequeathal has been prodigious, it may be time to think about donor plaques.

Donor plaques originated in the early 20th century as large American institutions needed a way to thank the providers of large sums who gave to their organizations. Today this practice has evolved into a multiplicity of ways of giving thanks. For example, donor walls have taken shape as a Tree of Life and are now more than simple methods of appreciation: they are aesthetic emoluments both for the community and the giver.

And whether you choose the more traditional bronze plaques and memorial walls, or a beautiful Tree of Life, you can be sure that such recognition will inspire the kindness and generosity of others to follow after the first.