Mourning Jewellery
Today we have a very detached relationship with death. We fear it and try to steer away from staring it in the face most of our lives. But, this isn’t how death was viewed in the past, death was an everyday matter. Life expectancies were shorter, there was a less comprehensive understanding of complex diseases and most people were not afraid of the dead body. This close relationship with death led to our ancestors having elaborate mourning processes - Victorians I am looking at you, and one aspect of this was mourning jewellery. Although not just a Victorian phenomenon, mourning jewellery found their peak during the reign of Queen Victoria.
What exactly is mourning jewellery? Well, the clue is in the name. It is jewellery specifically created for the mourning process and they could be elaborate affairs. From a simple ring with the deceased name and date of death inscribed on it, to a brooch with locks of the deceased hairs inside. Before you go ‘Oh my god! Their hair?!?!? That’s disgusting.’, I want to remind you that throughout history giving someone your hair has often been a romantic gift, a sign of love. And that is no different during mourning, it is a way to keep your loved one with you and aid you in the difficult process of grief.
French 16th/17th-century ivory pendant, Monk and Death, recalling mortality and the certainty of death (Walters Art Museum)
Mourning jewellery is part of something called ‘memento mori’, a Latin phrase meaning ‘remember you must die’. These are artistic or symbolic images that act as a reminder of the inevitability of death, and they have been around for centuries after developing with the growth of Christianity. Originally they acted almost as a fear-mongering tactic to say ‘you’re gunna die and if you want to go to heaven then be a good person.’ Generally, memento mori took the form of paintings and engravings but it was in the 17th century that specific mourning jewellery and mourning rings started to exist. Although under the realm of memento mori, mourning jewellery is more of a ‘remember this specific person’ than ‘remember you too will end up like them’. During the Victorian era, mourning jewellery became less macabre. Instead of overtly morbid images, you see weeping willows, urns and angels. Georgian mourning jewellery tended to feature more iconography of skulls and coffins.
Late 18th century 18ct gold ring featuring hair. Photo: Kevin Schumacher/GIA. Courtesy: Lowther Antiques, London, England
When Prince Albert died suddenly in 1861, Queen Victoria was thrown into an extreme state of mourning, one from which she would never emerge. This was reflected onto the rest of society, who created strict mourning rules, which differed between classes and the sexes and also your relationship to the deceased. Some women would find themselves wearing black crepe dresses for years. Being forced to outwardly display their grief, mourning was never a private affair. And so, mourning jewellery became a part of this. The jewellery was often paid for in advance by the person who would be commemorated in the jewellery before their death.
Now, you may be hoping that I skip over the whole jewellery made of human hair thing, but of course, I’m not! Hair jewellery became particularly popular in the Victorian era as many Victorians held the belief that hair had a sacred quality, that it possessed the essence of that person. The fact that it is pretty much imperishable, hair also symbolised immortality. Hair jewellery could simply hold a lock of hair, or be braided and displayed or used to create elaborate scenes. It was truly a craft of its own and took immense skill to create, and it was a worthy business to enter.
5 mourning rings made between 1745 and 1826. credit
As the years progressed and the 20th century began, mourning jewellery fell out of fashion as did our close relationship with death. As the funeral industry pushed embalming and elaborate caskets into the norm, we started to develop a fear of the dead body and a fear of death itself. This is why so many people are alarmed when they hear about mourning jewellery, and hair mourning jewellery in particular. Personally, I think mourning jewellery is beautiful and I wouldn’t be opposed to a loved one of mine having something created with my hair when I eventually die. It is a striking and different way to honour a person’s life and keep their memory alive.
