Description

• These earrings are handcrafted from:
  Handmade Sassenach with dragonfly art glass cabochon charms,*
  Sterling silver plated French hook ear wires.
• Earring drop approximately 1 1/12 inches/ 3.81 cm
  

Many of us became familiar with the word, Sassenach, while reading and watching the Outlander series. When Jamie affectionately calls Claire a Sassenach, he is drawing attention to the fact that she is English and a foreigner.

From what I have read, Sassenach comes from the Scottish Gaelic word sasunnach, literally meaning ‘Saxon’, and originally used to refer to non-Gaelic speaking Scottish Lowlanders. In modern Scotland, however, the term has become sassenach, meaning something or someone English.

As for the history of the thistle, it seems that nobody really knows exactly how the purple-flowered thistle came to be so important in Scotland. One legend has it a sleeping party of Scots warriors were saved from ambush by an invading Norse army when one of the enemies stepped on the spiky plant in his bare feet.  His cry woke the sleeping warriors who drove off the invaders and adopted the thistle as their national symbol. Of course, there is no evidence to support this, but it certainly makes a good story!

The plants do symbolize bravery, courage, and loyalty in the face of treachery. The pink or purple color represents royalty and nobility, as well as the nobility of character.

When you wear this bracelet, you can show off your Sassenach pride!

“I always wake when you do, Sassenach; I sleep ill without ye by my side.”
-Jamie Fraser

(*Glass cabochon charms are water resistant but not waterproof, make sure you don’t immerse the earrings in water!)