Victorian Jet Wheat Sheaf Pendant

At first glance, this pairing might seem somewhat odd: the wheat sheaf and black Whitby jet. The latter is normally associated with mourning jewellery, but wheat is an age old symbol of fertility and abundance. When viewed in the context of mourning, we have to dig a little deeper into the Classical mythology. Through the story of Ceres/Demeter, the cyclical nature of the seasons, of sowing and the harvest, of Proserpina/Persephone's abduction to the Underworld and ultimate return, we can view the wheat sheaf as a representation of life and death and rebirth - which starts to make more sense. The wheat sheaf had long been associated with resurrection and, as per the Christian tradition, with the body of Christ himself. But 19th century mourning traditions took these sentiments further (naturally), with the wheat sheaf acting as a sort of memento mori, representing life cut short and a resurrection this time of the soul. Era: Victorian, circa 1860 Size: 5.0cm (including bail) by 2.8cm Stone: Whitby Jet Marks: None, bail tested as base metal Condition: Great antique condition.