For the wearer who may not like a traditional cross, this 'Gravestone' pendant is the ideal gift with a lovely tradition incorporated in the story.
The story card accompanying this 'Gravestone' pendant reads:
'If you look in any old Irish graveyard, you will find stone works of art, roughly formed like crosses, to mark the graves of lost ones. This adornment is loosely based on a cross and patterned to reflect the light when worn. The hole in the centre is a 'throwing hole'. Traditionally, people would throw money through the hole and make a wish'.
Materials: Sterling silver, sterling silver snake chain
Thinking and Process: This piece was originally created as a brooch in a set of three whilst I was studying at university. It is a homage to Seamus Heaney and the poem 'Mid Term Break', where the author's 4 year old brother's life was taken away in a car accident. The three 'Crosses' stood side by side to represent Heaney, his mother and father, dealing with their grief. They were attached to a set of rosary beads with another cross hanging from the bottom where the crucifix would have been. This cross represented the child. The thinking was, we are all attached in life as we are in death.
The cross itself has been modelled on a small car part that looked like a cross or gravestone you would find in a graveyard. Some say the holes in the centre of these graveyard crosses bring good luck if money is thrown through them. This one in particular has been textured to capture the light as well as give an aging appearance. It is no longer smooth and new, thanks to time. The Gravestone pendant has been made with deep thought and care, using traditional jewellery techniques such as piercing, texturing, filing, sanding and polishing.
Dimensions: 1.2mm x 18" snake chain, pendant 31mm x 13mm