A luxurious oval pendant carved from Victorian jet with a mounted paste and silver cross. Historically, jet - fossilised ancient wood - was worn as a protective material, thought to absorb negativity and steady the wearer during periods of transition. At its centre, the paste-set cross carries the period’s most direct symbolism: a mark of protection, faith, and continuity between the material and the spiritual world. In Victorian culture the cross signified guidance through loss, but in broader gothic tradition it also functions as a boundary symbol - something that defines sacred space and guards the wearer.

Jet has been used by the Romans, Greeks, and in earlier Bronze Age cultures as a material for amulets meant to ward off the evil eye, curses, and harmful spirits. Across many cultures, matte or glossy black materials were thought to absorb negative forces rather than reflect them.

Jet is fossilised ancient wood . Because it began as something living, it was viewed as carrying ancestral or earthbound grounding power, adding to its protective reputation. By the 19th century, these older associations fed into Victorian spiritualism and mourning customs. Jet was thought to offer emotional protection - keeping the wearer steady during grief. 

A striking and beautiful piece.

Excellent antique condition. Comes with a black antique lace ribbon.

4cm x 2.2cm