The Ancestral Power Necklace

As I was rummaging through my boxes of materials, I found myself wondering about the ancient allure of rock crystal. I had stumbled upon an article about a 5,000 year old rock crystal dagger from Spain that had been buried with a priestess, that pretty much stopped me in my tracks. That led me to another article about a prehistoric monument in Ireland that has a facade completely covered with rock crystals.

Rock crystal is still being used to heal and for spritual practices today. I found myself drawn to the material and wanting to channel that prehistoric energy into a piece.

When I was 14 years old, I learned how to weave and embroider with small seed beads. I was always drawn to beadnetting as I associated it with Ancient Egyptian netted dresses and collars. On a trip to Spain some years ago, I brought with me some beads and taught myself how to do a bead-netted collar.

I thought about how incredible it would be to create a collar made of this transparent material. I had to be selective about my thread choice since the color of the thread would show through the rock crystal. I chose a red thread because that also holds a lot of historical significance. Red thread symbolizes power, healing, family ties, some cultures tie red ribbons to trees. Becasue the rock crystal is transparent, I also thought about how it’d look on various skin tones. I’m very light-skinned and the collar on me is such a statement, and I could only imagine how it’d look on beautiful olive skin tones, or on deeper, richer skin tones. I imagined how it’d glow.

Which is why I chose to name this ‘Ancestral Power.’ Our literal skin, and its color, are the connection we have to our ancestors. The rock crystal, a tool for spiritual healing, highlights the beauty and power of our individual skin tones. I wanted this piece to energetically carry something that I can’t express in words, but that, when worn, could make the wearer really feel something deep within themselves. I felt it when I was weaving the beads together, there was a power there.

Rock crystal, satin thread, glass beads, bronze.