Handmade sterling silver statement necklace. A hand-sawed greyhound leaps over a petite amethyst stone set in a simple, serrated bezel setting. A hand-sawed hare leaps beneath the stone, all above a beautiful textured cauldron with a crescent moon cutout. The imagery sits in a hand-sawed ornate frame. A beautiful antiqued, matte finish complete this piece. Pendant measures approximately 1.375 x 2.375 inches and includes a sterling silver chain in your choice of length from 16 to 30 inches.
This necklace is inspired by Cerridwen, a sorceress/witch from medieval Welsh mythology, the Celtic goddess of rebirth and transformation, and the Mother of Awen, the Welsh/Celtic idea of poetic inspiration. Cerridwen was known for her wisdom, power, prophecy, and potion-making. She was known for the potions brewed in her special cauldron. Most recognize Cerridwen as benevolent, or a white witch, though can sometimes be identified as a crone. Cerridwen is often associated with the moon and the moon phases. Her cauldron was believed to restore life, per the stories of Bran the Blessed, and thus, Cerridwen was believed by many to be the goddess of the Underworld. Cerridwen was mother to a set of twins, representative of the light and the dark. Her daughter, Creirwy, was said to be beautiful, while her son, Morfran, was said to be hideous. Cerridwen loved them equally, but in compensation for Morfran’s looks, Cerridwen brewed a special potion to give him wisdom. The potion was complex and had to be brewed for one year and one day. Cerridwen assigned a boy named Gwion to stir the potion. Gwion fulfilled his duty for a year, but on the final day, a few drops of the potion spilled onto his thumb, and as a reaction to the burn, Gwion put his thumb in his mouth, thus consuming the potion. Gwion was granted knowledge and wisdom, but knew Cerridwen would be furious by this mistake, so he turned himself into a hare to fool the goddess and fled. Cerridwen turned herself into a hound and chased Gwion. After a series of transformations, Cerridwen ended up eating Gwion when he transformed himself into a grain of corn. Gwion ended up residing in Cerridwen’s womb, and after giving birth to him, Cerridwen tossed him into the sea, where he was rescued and grew to become the legendary bard Taliesin. Cerridwen is an important white witch and mother goddess in Welsh mythology, Celtic mythology, and Arthurian legend, and is still a worshiped deity in some pagan religions today.Â
