THE AURYN JOURNAL
Notes on jewellery, materials, memory, style and the small details that make an object feel personal.
LATEST FROM AURYN
What does a squirrel symbolise? Squirrels with grapes in Chinese and Japanese art, a wish for many descendants, and Ratatoskr of Norse myth.
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What does a spider symbolise? Weaving and patience, Arachne's contest with Athena, Anansi the Akan trickster, and the Adinkra spider's web.
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What does Nyame Nwu Na Mawu mean? The Adinkra symbol 'God does not die, so I cannot die', and the Akan belief in the immortality of the soul.
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What is Ohene Kra Konmunde? The royal soul pendant of the Asante court, inspired by the gold discs worn by the king's 'soul washers' to renew his l...
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What does Otumfuo Wuo Ye Ya mean? A modern Adinkra symbol created to mark the death of the Asantehene Opoku Ware II, and how new symbols join the t...
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What does Sepow mean? The Adinkra symbol of the executioner's knife, a sign of justice and royal authority, and the historical practice behind it.
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What does Nnamfo Pa Baanu mean? The Adinkra symbol 'two good friends', a sign of friendship, loyalty and the strength of a trusted bond.
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What are Adinkra symbols? The stamped designs of the Akan of Ghana, their proverbs, the 1817 cloth in the British Museum, and how Adinkra is still ...
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What does the hare symbolise? The moon hare of East Asia, the hare in British folklore from Boudica to witches, and the German Easter hare.
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What does a fox symbolise? The cunning fox of European fable, the kitsune messengers of Inari in Japan, and the fox spirits of Chinese tales.
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What do animals symbolise? The dog, elephant, fox, hare, horse, spider and squirrel across cultures, from Japanese shrines to English folklore.
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What does an elephant symbolise? Ganesha, Gaja-Lakshmi and the white elephant of the Buddha's birth story, and elephants as emblems of royal power.
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What does a dog symbolise? Loyalty and protection, from the dogs of the Mesopotamian healing goddess Gula to faithful hounds on medieval tombs.
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What does a horse symbolise? Speed, freedom and nobility, from the Uffington White Horse and the Celtic goddess Epona to the Chinese zodiac.
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What does Fawohodie mean? The Adinkra symbol of independence and freedom, the proverb that pairs freedom with responsibility, and its resonance in ...
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What does Mframadan mean? The Adinkra 'wind-resistant house', a symbol of fortitude and of being prepared to face life's storms.
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What does Asetena Pa mean? The Adinkra symbol usually translated as 'good living' or 'a good life', and the associations it carries today.
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What does Abe Dua mean? The Adinkra symbol of the palm tree, and why the oil palm stands for self-sufficiency, resourcefulness and wealth in Akan t...
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