General Chat

You're right Emma - this kind of thing drives me mad until I get an explanation.

Another thing I've found online now.

I said that the C + H looked as though it was off-centre and that something could have come after those letters but the top of the stone was weathered and anything else was indecipherable. I came across the following:

Iesus Hominum Salvator
meaning
Jesus, Saviour of men

I'm now wondering whether it could have been/meant Christos Hominum Salvator
And the S was weathered too much for people to make it out.

Any further ideas welcomed.

just a possible spanner for your works

if you look at the name

RoBeson

on the stone, see the 'e' ... also at the end of the first line

is it saying

Dec
the | 28 . 1711

? in which case also the 'e' in Dec

the stone has a random mix of upper- and lower-case letters

and the 'e's don't have cross-marks, they just look like 'c's


could the inscription on the top be

e + H

? less likely than the C I think since the letter on top seems to have little end cuts, but ...

I think it says Desc the 28. I agree that it is more likely to be a capital C on the top as it does not seem to be quite as closed as the smaller e used elsewhere.

I still hope to find out what the top edge means.

IHS is on many gravestones - my Mum told me it meant "I have suffered" :-S

I think it is as I wrote above, AnnC. I've seen it many times but not needed to look it up until now:

Iesus Hominum Salvator.

All these suggestions may help pin it down though and I'm still hopeful.

Welll ..... :-)

http://newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.ca/2012/01/what-does-ihs-stand-for-meaning-of-holy.html

(backed up by other sources)

- edit - rats the Greek letters came out in this post as ??? so click on the link to see them if you like

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

What IHS really means – Jesus

The name “Jesus”, in Greek, is written ??s??? which is transliterated as “ihsous” and pronounced iesous. This is the Holy Name as it was written in the Gospels.
However, in Hebrew, the name “Jesus” is written ???? which is transliterated as “yeshu‘a” and pronounced yeshua.
Finally, in Latin, the Holy Name is written Iesus which gives us the English “Jesus”, since the “j” often replaces the “i” at the beginning of a word (as well as between vowels).

The insignia “IHS” comes from the Latinized version of the Greek ??s???, [UPDATE: In Greek capitals this would be ??S??S or IHSOUS in Latin letters] taking the first three letters in capitals IHS(ous). Much as the popular “chi-rho” symbol (pictured right, X – P) comes from the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, ???st?? (Christos) – XPistos.

This is the true meaning of IHS, it is the first three letters of the Greek spelling of the Holy Name of Jesus. The insignia is nothing more (and nothing less) than the symbol of the Holy Name.

Iesus Hominum Salvator – Jesus the Savior of men

It is popular legend that the IHS stands for the Latin phrase Iesus Hominum Salvator, “Jesus the Savior of (all) Men”. While this is a fine devotion, it is not historically accurate.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[image there: Chi (x) and Rho (p), CHRis
- they always appears as entwined insignia, not as just letters, and wouldn't be represented as 'C+R' I think]

pity I can't tell my Mum then :-D

Read through the blogspot and it pretty much confirmed the description on Wiki and other sites. The chi rio symbol is something I knew about and that was why I suggested that the capital C could be Christos.

I can't imagine what the + and the H are though.

I have feelers out but all suggestions are welcome as I'd like to discover the meaning.

C + H (and could be something following it)

After seeing all the suggestions I still think it's here lies buried.

But I have been known to be wrong.

Been out most of the day and thought I'd have another crack at this.

Christ + Hypostasis

I'm clutching at straws now.

My sil one of the Latin teachers in my family also asked a clergyman friend of hers to no avail. She thinks it could be something to do with Christos but has as much idea as we have.

Another day tomorrow and another shot at it then.

Cuz reminds me that December was the eighth month in 1711. Joseph died on 2nd and was buried on 4th.

(Deceased 2 8 1711)

December was the tenth month, the year began on 25th March. I am not sure but I don't think they wrote dates with numbered months then.

i would have thought that your local priest, vicar or stonemason would know the answer?

:-D

Stella, already asked a Canon and archaeologist and two Latin teachers who have asked a vicar and nun. I know a couple of stonemasons so I'll try to contact them to see whether they know - that was a good idea that I'd not thought of.

Someone mentioned I should try a palaeontologist and I know one I can ask.

This is going to take a few days so all suggestions still welcome.

Hope you find out soon :-D

Continued on
http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/general_chat/thread/1366158