Daily AncestorPortrait stone
A portrait stone is an 18th century gravestone carved with a human bust; it stands for the dead person but is not a real likeness.
Some colonial carvers cut a bust or full figure with hair, wig, bonnet or collar instead of a skull or winged face. Ministers in clerical collars are the most common subjects.
These are not likenesses. When one carver's portraits are compared, the faces turn out nearly the same for every man, woman and child he carved, though he might add buttons for men or bonnets for women, or a Bible for a minister. Treat a portrait as a clue to the person's sex or calling, not to how they looked.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Portrait stone." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/gravestone-symbols/portrait-stone. Last checked 2026-10-15.