Silver Mine Gifts Blog

For most people, silver jewelry is worn because of either the look and feel of a piece or perhaps sentimental reasons (received as a gift or family heirloom). However, there are some for whom wearing silver jewelry has an important symbolic function. For these people, jewelry is a way to link to powerful metaphysical forces. And the type of jewelry worn and placement of the piece is very significant for receiving those forces. In the past civilizations, this was commonplace.  Jewelry was frequently used as a talisman to tap into energy that existed both within the body and outside of it.

Since they were discovered, gemstones have fascinated people. Many different cultures throughout history have placed a value on gemstones that has equaled or even transcended other prized substances such as gold. While some find gems desirable for their aesthetic properties, many others believe that the stones have healing, or even magical, qualities. Still others cherish gems because of an association with their birth date. Overall, gemstones have one of the most interesting stories of any type of jewelry.

If you happened to pick out or receive a Mother’s Day card recently, chances are you saw one of the most enduring and ubiquitous symbols of love: the heart shape. This shape is widely used for familial love on Mother’s and Father’s day (especially from children) while also being the clearest symbol for romantic love, exemplified by its appearance on cards, candy, and gifts for Valentine’s Day. However, anyone with a basic understanding of human anatomy realizes that this shape does not resemble the human heart very closely. So how did this symbol originate and why do we use it so much today?

The symbols of Celtic culture and heritage have become a very popular visual style in modern times, even though most of the symbols are many centuries old. There is something intrinsically beautiful, however, about the Celtic knots and crosses that captivates people today, whether they are descendant from Celtic heritage or not. Unfortunately, the meanings of these symbols are not entirely clear. Although there are many stories and theories, and some of these explanations quite old themselves, there are few definitive facts about these Celtic icons.

The fleur-de-lis (also spelled fleur-de-lys) is a religious, political, and cultural symbol that has been a significant visual for centuries. The name comes from French and translates to “flower of the lily” (or simply “lily flower”). Some feel that despite its name, the fleur-de-lis is actually derived from an iris. The fleur-de-lis is often colored yellow or gold, and although lilies are never yellow, irises can be. Additionally, there is a visual similarity between the fleur-de-lis and the iris, though this connection raises a mystery regarding the link to the lily and the origin of the name.