"I crack nuts deep" medieval seal necklace

PLEASE NOTE: I am currently out of town and any orders made this week will ship on Monday the 20th. -Paige This pendant was made with a real antique seal from the 14th century. It features a carving of a squirrel with the words "I CRAC NOTES DEP," meaning "I crack nuts deep" This was a popular wax seal design in late medieval England! Normally a seal had a person's name or occupation carved around the edges, as a form of identification. But in the late 1300s, anonymous seals became widely used too, usually bearing some witty or sentimental saying instead of a name. Although we have many examples of wax seals saying "I crack nuts," its exact meaning is up for debate. Some think it referred to making business deals, or cracking open a seal to read a letter. The most widely held interpretation is that it was a sexual innuendo. Each necklace is made individually by stamping the seal into wax and then casting the wax in sterling silver. So every one is a little different and has its own organic shape. There is a patina on the face of the seal to bring out the details, but it comes on a brightly polished chain. Chain length: 18 inches Pendant size: appx 18mm across Materials This necklace is made entirely of sterling silver. Sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% silver with 7.5% copper, which is added to make the metal more durable. There is no outer plating- the metal can be polished over and over for a lifetime. Shipping All jewelry comes in gift packaging, although it may not match what you see in the photos.