On a recent trip to Edinburgh, I was amazed at the Memento Mori headstones that I found in Greyfriar’s Churchyard, but the headstones I found in St Cuthbert’s graveyard are simply the best that I’ve ever seen. The graveyard mortality symbols carved into these magnificent and beautiful headstones led me to write up the meanings of such graveyard symbols and to make an attempt to decipher some of the stories they tell. Trust me, I’m not an expert on this subject, but it fascinates me and if you have an opinion, suggestion or indeed a correction, please comment below, or get in touch with me.
Memento Mori Photography in Edinburgh
Edinburgh was my choice of city break purely based on the magnificent old kirkyard of Greyfriar’s. I wasn’t disappointed with the abundance of skull and crossbones with the Latin phrase Memento Mori carved into the stone work. Wondering around this ancient graveyard was like a dream come true and I should have taken more photographs to show how beautiful and peaceful it was with people sitting around in the sun having their lunch among the graves. Unfortunately I was too preoccupied with finding skull and crossbones and I never expected to find a large skeleton holding a book.
Greyfriar’s Skeleton Holding a Book
I remember looking up in awe at this skeleton holding a book, wondering how best to capture it, because I’m such a short ass and this was high up. It’s only a year or so later that I realised that such imagery on this grand Memento Mori headstone tells us a story about the deceased. For further reading, please visit Memento Mori symbols.
Deciphering Headstones
It all came to light when I studied a teachers course and I had to provide a presentation on a subject that I was comfortable with.
I decided to talk about my love of photographing headstones and graveyards and why graveyard mortality symbols are fascinating. I used the full image of the skeleton holding a book for my assessment that followed a brief talk about graveyard symbols. The assignment for the students was to tell me what symbols they could see and what does the headstone reveal about the deceased?
It was a success as it provoked a fascinating discussion and showed me that I was able to teach them well. Read on to decipher this headstone and see if you agree.
Skeletons, Skull and Crossbones Headstone Meaning
First of all, what stands out most is the skeleton itself holding a book and if you look closely you will also see that it holds a scythe like the Grim Reaper. A scythe on a headstone represents the reaping of life.
Either side of the skull and crossbones at the base are coffins with gravediggers tools and bones. These together with skeletons represent the burial of the deceased and the bones represent decay and remind us all of what we will become. There is no escaping death so isn’t it best to live life for today?
Memento Mori – Remember that YOU will die
Open Book on Headstone Meaning
Looking at this image, the book is a prominent symbol upon this headstone and an open book usually symbolises the Bible and faith. A book on a headstone can also represent knowledge or the Book of Life. In order to decipher this, we have to look at all of the elements together.
The skeleton is standing on something that maybe a skull, but it is hard to tell. Is there also a crown underneath the scythe?
Crown on Headstone Meaning
A crown on a headstone can represent triumph, righteousness or victory over death. Again, we have to look at the full image as sometimes it can also represent the Crown of Life.
Are They Scissors?
They look like scissors to me!
On the left of the skeleton, you can see a number of tools that look like they’re bound by ribbon. On the right of the skeleton there’s further tools with a skeleton of a leg. Graveyard symbols will tell us about the deceased’s occupation as well as their beliefs. I doubted that hairdressers would have been of significance back in the 17th century, but surgeons were. There are other tools, not just scissors and I could only conclude that the occupation of this gentleman could be a surgeon.
Skeleton Holding a Book Conclusion
The deceased was a surgeon and I confirmed this by searching for ‘surgeon Greyfriar’s grave‘, which lead me to Gravestone Pix. His name was James Bothwick and he joined the Incorporation of Surgeons as a Master Surgeon in 1645. He was appointed for the sole purpose of teaching anatomy and he was the first person in the history of the college to do so. Therefore the book in this case represents knowledge and that he was a teacher.
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