This is part of a series that discusses the meanings behind the symbolism that you’ll find on gravestones located in Ohio cemeteries.

Along with urns, books appear on quite a few headstones. There are multiple meaning assigned to them, which makes sense, as there are just as many ways for books to be depicted.

For example, the two books listed above could mean that the person buried beneath the gravestone was fond of reading, or was a scholar or a bookseller. Also, in some cases, two books can mean that the deceased was a devout Mormon.

Cemetery Symbolism: Open Books

Open books are a religious reference, symbolizing that the heart of the deceased is open to God and ready to enter heaven. The book can also stand for faithfulness.

Books can also symbolize the book of life, the Bible, or a prayer. In some cases, the prayer is carved into the pages of the “book.” Also, the good deeds that a person completed in life could be “recorded” on the image of the book, or at least, the book will stand for them in some capacity.

There are numerous book styles to look for when exploring a cemetery. Books can be open, closed, on a stand (like shown above), and even appear to be held in a hand.

You never know what you’ll find while walking through an older cemetery. Seeing images of books on gravestones are just one of the many forms of iconography that people used during the Victorian Era.

Sources:

• Atlas Obscura – Cemetery Symbolism
• Thoughtco.com – Cemetery Symbolism
• State of Indiana – Cemetery Symbolism

Further Reading