Crafted in the finest 925 Sterling Silver and Inspired by the title of the forthcoming ninth book in the Outlander Series, our Highland Bee Silver Bead Charm features a traditional honey bee, suspended from a bead decorated with traditional Highland Knotwork..
‘Telling the bees’ is an old European custom (which made its way to the United States), in which bees would be told of important events in their keeper's lives, such as births, marriages, or deaths.
The origins of this practice are not really known, but it is thought to be linked to the ancient belief that bees' had the ability to bridge the natural world and the afterlife.
There were many different ways that bees would be told of news. For example, following a death in the household the women of the house would cover the hives with black, whilst softly humming mournful tunes or sayings such as –
"The master's dead, but don't you go; Your mistress will be a good mistress to you."
"Little bee, our lord is dead; Leave me not in my distress.”
One instruction from the Carolina mountains of the United States simply stated -
"You knock on each hive, so, and say, 'Lucy is dead.'"
If a family failed to tell the bees of a death, serious calamity for the household would follow!
Bees were also to be told of happy events, and a 1950s article in the Dundee Courier in Scotland described the practice of inviting bees to the wedding. At these, the hive might be decorated, and a slice of wedding cake left by the hive.
This charm will delight lovers of Outlander and will make an ideal gift and lasting memento, for yourself or for someone you love.
This beautiful bead charm is from our new collection of Keepsake Bead Charms and measures 17.00 mm x 25.00mm (approx). They are a perfect fit for all popular charm bracelets and would make a wonderful addition to your charm collection!
Need a bracelet? We also sell the bracelet for all our charms sold separately here.
All our Keepsake Bead Charms come in a delicate black charm box.