Daily AncestorOpen book
An open book on a gravestone is usually the Book of Life, where a person's deeds are written; blank pages mean the last acts are recorded.
When a book on a Victorian stone is not lettered Holy Bible, it is most likely the Book of Life, the record of a person's good and bad deeds. Shown open with blank pages, it says that the last entries have been made and nothing more will be added.
Others read the open book as a sign that the stone itself is a kind of biography. An open book can also be a Bible; look for lettering on the pages or spine.
As seen in a recordTown cemetery, 1850 to 1930
Open book carved on a marble base, names on the two pages: Josiah H. Pennington 1820 to 1890 / Sarah A. Pennington 1824 to 1897
Sources
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Daily Ancestor. "Open book." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/gravestone-symbols/open-book. Last checked 2026-10-15.