Amulets by Merlin's Blog

A young lady who received her degree in Archeology
decided it was time to get a piece
reflecting her chosen field:
a pendant representing a trowel.
Apparently in the course of her degree
she had been doing some filed work
and sent me several images of her tool
with decorated handle of various designs
and told me to “make something like it”.

When I asked her about her choice of professions,
she responded with a rather profound response.
In her words:

“The American Indians,
the slaves of Barbados and the Americas,
the ancient humans before the dawn of writing;
the ones whose stories were never recorded.
The best we can do is bring their unspoken legacy to light
so that we can learn more about who *we* are,
and *why* we are who we are.
Everything is built on the foundation of the past.
Personally, culturally, and socially.

“I had originally thought to buy a class ring,
as a symbol of making it from foster child
and group home kid,
street bum,
and pregnant teenage mother to college graduate.
But then- well,
I bought that cheap trowel pendant at Jamestown
and wore it until it brought out a rash on my skin,
to remind me every time I felt like quitting school
out of frustration
or just sheer exhaustion *why*
I couldn’t quit and keep my self-respect.
To remind me why I needed to stay the course.
Once I realized I was actually going to accomplish this,
I wanted something better
than the crappy pendant I had bought,
I wanted something that was truly *mine*
rather than some generic class ring.”

I set to work in it’s creation.
Made of sterling silver
with the swirls and other designs on the handle,
I made a small replica of her trowel
one and a half inches.
The handle was fitted with a top bail
for hanging on her chain.

Custom Archeology Trowel Pendant

The piece is now worn by a fully fledged,
real life Archeologist!

If you want to have something made specially for you,
please visit my how to order custom page.