The symbols that families choose to put on the gravestones of their loved ones hold quite a bit of meaning. Genealogists with Irish ancestry might be wondering what the Irish symbols that appear on the gravestones of their ancestors mean. Understanding Irish symbols on gravestones could help you learn more about your Irish heritage.
The images, symbols, and markings on gravestones do not get their by accident! Someone, (probably a close family member to the deceased) made choices about what, exactly, should go on that headstone. While artistic or aesthetic reasons could have influenced those choices, often, it is the meaning behind the symbols that give genealogists clues about the ancestor who rests below that stone.
A very popular Irish symbol, that often appears on gravestones, is the Irish High Cross. The photo that I have included with this blog shows a good example of what an Irish High Cross is.
When a cross appears on a gravestone, it indicates that the person was Christian. The Irish High Cross indicates that the person was Christian and has Irish heritage. The ring that goes around the center of this form of Celtic cross is believed to be a remnant of Pagan sun worship. It also functions as a way to support the structural integrity of the cross.
Sometimes, an Irish High Cross will be filled with carvings that are from scenes in the Bible. This is not always the case, though. The base of the cross could be plain, or may have other Irish symbols on it. If I had to guess, the amount of carving that appears on one of these type of tombstones could have something to do with how much money the family could spend on it.
A gravestone of an Irish immigrant might have the name of the town in Ireland where he or she used to live. This could give a genealogist a clue about where to begin searching for the vital records for that ancestor. The same gravestone might include an image of a harp. The harp is a symbol of Ireland.
Another common symbol is the letter I, the letter H, and the letter S all carved one on top of the others. Combined, it resembles a dollar sign. The letters IHS are said to be the first three letters of Jesus’ name, when written in the Greek alphabet. In other words, this symbol, that at first glance appears to have something to do with American currency, is actually a symbol that the person was a Christian.
Image by William Murphy on Flickr