Description

• These earrings are handmade from:
  Iridescent blue mermaid  charms* handmade with a 12mm glass cabochon set on a copper-plated metal tray,
  Copper French hook ear wires.
• Measures approx. 1 inch/2.54 cm drop

Some ancient cave paintings depicted humanoid figures with tails, but the first written mention of a half-fish, half-human creature occurred around 1000 B.C.E. The prefix ‘mer’ comes from the old English word mere meaning sea. These creatures of the deep have some human qualities — most commonly human torsos— and have marine qualities like fishtails, which embody the mystery, beauty, and changeable nature of the sea. Some early people thought human beings evolved from merfolk, but folkloric depictions almost always bestowed mermaids with an air of divinity.

There are numerous variations of the legend, but the most common one tells of a beautiful goddess named Atargatis who fell in love with a young shepherd and the powerful deity accidentally killed him. Heartbroken over his death she threw herself into a lake. Underwater, she transformed into a mermaid. Atargatis was a symbol of fertility and well-being associated with water. Her following spread throughout the Greek world where she was generally regarded as one of the forms taken by the goddess Aphrodite. Regardless of the origin, mermaid folklore has been one of the most influential mythical images in history.

Whether you think that mermaids represent benevolence and femininity, or temptation and danger, the mermaid symbol is no doubt a powerful symbol!

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
~ Jacques Cousteau

*(Mermaid skin charms are water resistant but not waterproof, make sure you don’t immerse them in water!)