Daily AncestorBible
A Bible on a gravestone shows the person's Christian faith and trust in the Word of God; on a minister's stone it may mark his calling.
One study calls the Bible, with hands, the most common symbol on 18th and 19th century Protestant stones, because the Word was central to Protestant faith. It is often labeled Holy Bible, held in a hand or set on a pedestal.
A Bible can also suggest that the person was devout or literate. A hand touching a book means the Word is the way to salvation.
As seen in a recordChurch or town cemetery, 1800 to 1930
Book carved Holy Bible on a pedestal: Rev. Elias M. Stonebraker, Pastor, 1811 to 1884
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Bible." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/gravestone-symbols/bible. Last checked 2026-10-15.