The River Lethe flows around the cave of Hypnos, the God of Sleep, which was veiled in silence, save for the sound of the river moving across the rocks on its banks. This river was also known to be the river of forgetfulness and oblivion, the shades of those who crossed into the Underworld who drank from this river would forget their memories from their lives, readying themselves for reincarnation. There’s something about this notion, the choice to forget, to willingly let go of memories, that I find interesting, that I simultaneously long for and feel a repulsion towards. Who are we without our memories ? & yet, there are so many memories I wish I could wipe away forever; the memories that float to the surface at night, that catch me unaware. The memories of mistakes, of of horror, of shame. & also, the memories I’d love to conjure in more crisp detail, that wear smoother & threadbare every time I revisit them. What a tricky thing it is to remember. Sorrow < > Joy. Beauty < > Horror. Just like being alive. 

These earrings are talismans for this strange kind of time travel, and a wish for making peace with those moments in our past lives we wish to be free from and healed.

Here, bat claws have been life cast in sterling silver and clasp tiny onyx 'tears'.

Bats:

Bats and their cast wing and leg bones have long been a component I’ve used in my visual library as a way of creating a personal visual language. As nocturnal creatures, I feel a kinship with their natural predilection for the night time hours, but I’m also interested in how they use sonar to ‘see’, how as a metaphor bats as liminal creatures also remind us to look closer with our other senses, a way of ‘seeing the unseen.’ It’s my hope and intention that pairing them with other chthonic imagery and myth further adds to the visual meaning I’m aiming for, creating a collage of personal ideas while also tethering these physical jeweled objects to the spirit of the bat ( and other natural objects in the case of other jewels in my collection ) and to the spirit of the myths I’m invoking.

*Details* : 

- 3 inches long

- Solid Sterling Silver  

- Both earrings and hooks are hand oxidized to achieve our favorite shade of stormy gray and then highlighted to reveal the bright luminous silver beneath

- Set with one 5 x 7 mm pear cut Onyx 

Onyx:

Onyx is best known for being a natural stone that acts as a kind of 'psychic armor' against the negativity of others. It is also used to sooth grief and heartbreak. It is a wonderful grounding stone and a stone of self mastery, enabling its wearers to have mental and spiritual focus.

These jewels are hand cut and therefore may have very slight differences in size and may have small signs of the carver's hands along the edges. These are not fabricated by a machine, they are made by hand and therefore aren't uniformly perfect. The photographs accurately portray the quality of the stones and the cuts. 

***IMPORTANT***

This jewel is handmade to order, just for you, with care and focus. Please allow approximately 6-8 weeks for creation before shipping.                   

Visit the Policy Page to make an educated and informed purchase HERE.

If you have further questions, we are always here to serve you in a kind and timely manner: via bloodmilkjewels@gmail.com