Edinburgh's Historic Hume Tomb Vandalised with Disturbing Occult Symbols
The historic tomb of the renowned Scottish philosopher David Hume has been targeted by vandals who left behind what has been described as "disturbing occult-style paraphernalia" at the Old Calton burial ground in Edinburgh. The incident, which involved satanic symbols and coded writings, has raised serious concerns about the security of this important cultural site.
Sinister Discoveries at Historic Cemetery
A tour guide made the alarming discovery while leading visitors through the 18th-century cemetery, which is designated as a Category A-listed site. The vandalism included a particularly disturbing drawing depicting a naked woman pointing a bloodied knife at a baby with a noose around its neck. Additionally, coded writings on red electrical tape were found attached to the David Hume mausoleum and two nearby memorial stones.
The guide promptly reported the incident to Edinburgh council via email on 19 November 2025, describing the symbols as "satanic" and including photographic evidence of the damage. The report stated: "I was guiding some guests today in the Old Calton cemetery and came upon some disturbing occult style paraphernalia attached to the David Hume mausoleum."
Online Claims and Further Disturbing Evidence
Following the discovery, a group on Telegram purporting responsibility for vandalising graves at unspecified cemeteries posted photographs matching the damage at Old Calton burial ground. Their now-deleted channel shared additional disturbing drawings, including one of a naked woman grabbing the bloodied head of a baby, with one member referencing "EH1" - the Edinburgh postcode covering the historical Old Town area where the cemetery is located.
The group also posted images of other strange items found at the site, including:
- Nails hammered through red candles
- Various chalked symbols
- Red tape printed with the words "anti meta physical front"
Council Response and Security Concerns
Edinburgh council confirmed there was no CCTV covering the affected area and that the incident was not reported to police because the damage was considered temporary. However, council officers removed the vandalism immediately upon receiving the report.
Margaret Graham, the council's culture and communities convener, expressed her dismay: "I'm appalled that our historic Old Calton burial ground has been vandalised. As soon as the incident was reported, officers removed it immediately, and there have been no further incidents since."
The tour guide's report became public through a freedom of information request, revealing ongoing concerns about security at the historic site. The cemetery, which contains the final resting places of several notable Scots including scientist John Playfair and painter David Allan, has faced repeated problems with antisocial behaviour.
Pattern of Problems at Historic Site
This incident follows a pattern of concerning behaviour at the Old Calton burial ground. In May last year, tour guides reported "repeated acts of vandalism and aggressive behaviour by groups of teenagers" with some situations escalating to physical aggression, including stone throwing directed at staff and visitors.
In response to these ongoing issues, Edinburgh council has been forced to close both the Old Calton and nearby New Calton burial grounds in the evenings. When challenged about the locked gates last August, the council defended their decision, stating: "There have been a number of serious assaults and injuries to tourists reported and response policing are not able to continue attending the number of calls they receive."
Further Suspicious Activity Reported
Adding to concerns about the site's security, another guide operating in Old Calton reported witnessing a "strange" gathering outside the David Hume mausoleum on 16 January at 10pm, when the cemetery gates were supposed to be locked. The guide, who wished to remain anonymous, described seeing four men in long white robes kneeling by the mausoleum and lighting candles.
"I don't have any idea what they were doing. We just escaped," the guide told the Guardian. "There were several candles inside the mausoleum, and now there are always sage plants close to the mausoleum. Obviously I told all the guides to pay attention. Sometimes we have private tours in the night and it could be dangerous."
The vandalism incident comes amid ongoing discussions about David Hume's legacy, following the removal of his name from an Edinburgh tower block in 2020 after Black Lives Matter protests highlighted his controversial comments on matters of race. The philosopher's mausoleum, designed by architect Robert Adam, remains an important historical monument that now requires enhanced protection against such disturbing acts of vandalism.
