Aphrodite Epitymbidia Earrings & Necklaces

Aphrodite Empitymbidia, Our Lady of the Graves, is a lesser known epithet of the goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodite of the Graves calls back to her origins as Innana and her descent to the Underworld to help her sister grieve the death of her husband. Similarly, Aphrodite has a myth where she descends to the Underworld to make a deal with Persephone for Adonis. In ancient Greece, chthonic deities were not often worshiped as they were considered terrifying deities who did not care for the everyday concerns of mankind. Aphrodite was the mediator, a comforting face and companion on one’s final journey to the underworld. In ancient Greek cemeteries, Aphrodite was the most prominent statue, often accompanied by Eros, who was seen as the mediator for children and animals to the land of the dead. 

Our jewelry line dedicated to Aphrodite Empitymbidia, Our Lady of the Graves, calls in symbology from the myths of Aphrodite and the Greek Underworld. With only one exception, our necklaces in her honor are made with vintage pieces as irreplaceable as the loved ones we eventually lose. Here, vintage components call in treasured loved ones, lost to time, reborn to be loved once again. This jewelry is made with a combination of black river stone, matte obsidian, pink coral, pink shell, real freshwater pearls, and vintage champagne pearls. Please see the bottom of this listing for how each of these elements calls in Aphrodite Epitymbidia. 

The styles we have available are as follows:

• Grave Bouquet: made with a vintage brooch with a rose backed on golden filigree, this necklace is handmade with black river stone and champagne colored vintage pearls on gold-tone stainless steel. It measures 21 inches in length. There will only be one of this piece ever available. 
• Love Never Forgotten: This necklace is made with a vintage Coro brand choker, with pink coral hearts set in a branching frame. This style of pink coral is no longer being harvested and cannot be accessed outside vintage pieces in the modern market. To call in Aphrodite Epitymbidia, we added real freshwater pearls and black river stone. Pearls teach us to turn a bad situation into something beautiful, while black river stone calls in the dark waters of the River Styx.  It is approximately 16 inches in length. There will only be one of this piece ever available. 
• Love Lights the Way: This necklace is made with vintage brass heart earrings that have been transformed into pendants, calling in the shining light of love in dark places. It is handmade with pink coral and black river stone. It measures 21 inches in length. Only two will ever be available. 
• Plucked Too Soon: This necklace is made with a delicate vintage flower earring, with a beautiful Grecian border around its edge, calling in those taken from us before their time, like a flower plucked too soon. It is made with matte obsidian and pink coral. This necklaces measures 21 inches. Only two will ever be available. 
• Comfort and Care: This necklace is made with a vintage mother-of-pearl button within a golden setting, transformed into a pendant. It's shield-like appearance calls in Aphrodite's protective embrace, providing comfort, care, and a shoulder to cry on when we're in need. It features pink shell and black river stone. This necklace measures 21 inches. Only two will ever be available. 
• Healing the Heart: This is our only necklace made without vintage components as its base. With a heart at its center and a black teardrop hanging below, it calls in the wounds of the heart that can only be healed by expressing grief so that love may return. It is handmade with real freshwater pearls, black river stone, and pink coral. This necklace measures 21 inches. More may be made in the future. 
• Whispers of Love Earrings: These earrings are handmade in honor of Aphrodite Epitymbidia. Each hangs from a hypoallergenic gold-plated brass lever back hoop, with a matte obsidian bead hanging directly beneath it. From this bead, a small length of gold-plated brass chain supports a pink coral teardrop. Each teardrop is as unique as our loved ones. Each shows a pattern of white radiating from the center to pink. Some reveal a portion of the natural coral pattern, while others are entirely smooth. More may be made in the future. 

Black river stone: Calling back to the River Styx, the black river stone beads feature prominently to call in the chthonic waters of Hades. The polished and reflecting nature of the stone calls us to re-examine that our grief for losing someone close to us originates from our love for them. 

Matte obsidian: Obsidian comes from deep in the earth and is created through volcanic eruption touching the cold waters. Like Aphrodite, the obsidian rises when it touches the sea. With origins in the deepest depths of the Earth, it calls back to the cave cemeteries and temples where Aphrodite was found guarding the dead.  

Pink Shell: Pink shell is found on the inner lining of specific mollusks like conches. It is similar to mother of pearl, though the color scheme lends to it being a gentler and more soothing presence. The conch has a deep history of being entwined in several cultures. Famously, it is the conch that allows us to hear the ocean’s roar and it is the conch that also becomes a horn for a battle cry. It has been a companion to us throughout human history, made from the shell of a sea animal, calling in chthonic properties that align with Aphrodite. 

Freshwater and Champagne Pearls: Pearls embrace the idea of turning a bad situation into something beautiful. Pearls are made from oysters protecting themselves from irritants. They embody finding the beauty in the worst situations. 

Pink Coral: Pink coral was referred to as “pelle d’angelo” or Angel Skin in Italian and is considered to this day a precious material alongside gemstones. It is found in species of coral from Japan, Taiwan and occasionally in the Mediterranean. It is soft love and care to surround ourselves with, reminding us that our loved ones are never forgotten so long as we remember them with love.