A common carving seen on older tombstones is a pair of clasped hands, what appears to be a handshake. This symbol was commonly used during the Victorian era.
![](https://karenmillerbennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ElmGrove-SM-4-300x188.jpg)
Clasped hands, Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys, Ohio.
Clasped hands most often represent the hands of a husband and wife. Usually a cuff is visible on each wrist and the cuffs are usually different, one masculine, a man’s shirt cuff, and the other feminine, the cuff of a lacy blouse or dress. Some hands have straight fingers and others have bent fingers.
![](https://karenmillerbennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Ridge-Slater-3-300x205.jpg)
Clasped hands, Ridge-Slater Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio.
Clasped hands with different cuffs symbolize holy matrimony/marriage. They may symbolize the spouse who died first guiding their partner to heaven and greeting them there.
![](https://karenmillerbennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Grenbriar-300x201.jpg)
Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio.
Sometimes the word farewell or the phrase we will meet again is written near the hands.
![](https://karenmillerbennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ElmGrove-SM-1-300x232.jpg)
Clasped hands, Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys, Ohio.
Clasped hands may symbolize a final farewell to the deceased or a heavenly welcome.
![](https://karenmillerbennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/East-Bethel-300x202.jpg)
East Bethel Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio.
![](https://karenmillerbennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ElmGrove-SM-3-300x215.jpg)
Clasped hands, Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys, Ohio.
![](https://karenmillerbennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ZS-300x201.jpg)
Clasped hands, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Ohio.
![](https://karenmillerbennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Ridge-Slater-1-300x164.jpg)
Clasped hands, Ridge-Slater Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio.
Occasionally the clasped hands symbol will have two men’s cuffs, symbolizing God grasping the deceased’s hand and welcoming them into heaven and eternal life.
![](https://karenmillerbennett.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ElmGrove-SM-2-300x212.jpg)
Clasped hands with same cuffs, Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys, Ohio.