Description

This was one of the most macabre gravestones we found in Scotland. It marks the final resting place of James Borthwick, a noted surgeon in Edinburgh who went on to become Britain’s first professor of anatomy. The stone has all the hallmarks of his trade, including scalpels and scissors. The skeleton is holding a book, presumably of human anatomy, symbolizing his status as a professor. The coffin with open scissors behind it is especially dark.

The grave marker is built into the exterior wall of Greyfriars Kirk in a noticeable position near the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh Old Town. Borthwick passed away in 1676, a time when skulls and skeletons often adorned gravestones.