When mythology-inspired jewelry is also devotional jewelry
One response to my jewelry survey brought up something I think is really important to discuss:
“I would like for the brand to be respectful of the Hellenic Polytheist religion. To not see it as just myths and stories but a living religion…”
And this distinction matters.
Greek mythology has inspired art, fashion and jewelry for centuries, and today many people are drawn to it simply because they love the myths, the history or the symbolism.
But for others, these gods are not simply mythological characters.
They are deities they actively worship.
Which means the same piece of jewelry can have completely different meanings depending on the person wearing it.
For one person, an owl necklace might simply be a beautiful reference to Athena.
For someone else, jewelry associated with Athena might be worn as a devotional piece, an expression of their relationship with her, or something connected to their religious practice.
Neither relationship with the jewelry necessarily has to invalidate the other.
But I do think that creating something inspired by these deities comes with a responsibility to approach their symbolism with research, care and respect, especially when you know that some of the people wearing it may be Hellenic Polytheists.
That’s something I want to keep in mind while developing APHRES.
Not:
“How can I make Greek mythology look aesthetic?”
But:
“How can I create something contemporary while respecting the history, symbolism and people for whom these deities still hold religious significance?”
So I’d really like to hear from Hellenic Polytheists on this one:
What makes a piece of deity-inspired jewelry feel respectful to you?
And conversely:
Is there anything you’ve seen brands do with Greek deities or their symbols that made you uncomfortable or felt disrespectful?
There isn’t necessarily one universal answer, and I’m particularly interested in hearing different perspectives.
I’m currently researching these questions while developing APHRES, a contemporary jewelry project inspired by Greek mythology and Hellenic symbolism.
If you’re interested in Greek mythology, Hellenic Polytheism or related pagan traditions, I’m still collecting responses to my anonymous 2-minute survey:
🔗 https://form.typeform.com/to/oUF4UxXu
