You might choose a piece of jewellery to go with something you wear. Or you might choose it to remember a day: a departure, a meeting, the moment you finally made time for something you’d been putting off.
A talisman can begin like that. Before you’ve even put it on, there’s already a story behind it.
Choosing it for yourself
You’ve made an important decision, but you’re still not sure what comes next. You buy a ticket, sign a contract or open the notebook you’ve been meaning to work in. You choose something to remember that moment by.
Or perhaps it’s the siren that first catches your eye. You discover Tanit and Parthenope later, and one detail in their stories stays with you. The meaning can come gradually.
On La Moneta, the two-tailed siren is on one side and the spiral on the other. For us, the spiral is about changing while staying true to yourself. You might see something of your own life in that thought, or find something else in the design. [1]
Giving it to someone
When you choose a talisman for someone else, you think about what’s happening in their life. A wish they’ve shared with you. A journey you wish you could join them on, even for a little while.
Sometimes the meaning is in the words that come with the gift. “This made me think of you.” “For your new beginning.” Or a few words about a memory only the two of you share. One handwritten line can be enough.
You know why you chose the piece. Once it’s theirs, they’ll decide how to wear it and what place to give it. Other days and other memories will become part of its story too.
A wish to keep close
Giving a small object a protective meaning has a long history. Curator Isabel Stünkel describes how the shape, material and imagery of ancient Egyptian amulets contributed to what people believed about them. [2]
Those beliefs belonged to a particular culture. The wish behind a gift today can be as simple as: I’m thinking of you. I hope you’re well. I’m happy to see you taking this step.
In the words of the Sirendipity card:
“Carry it with you, as a silent witness to your courage. Because true magic is not the kind that protects you from change. It is the kind that gives you the strength to move through it.”
Adapted excerpt from the Sirendipity card. [1]
[1] Sirendipity, original writing on La Moneta and Spira Mirabilis, and the text of the Sirendipity card. Sources for the meaning given to the symbols within the project.
[2] Isabel Stünkel, Ancient Egyptian Amulets, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1 February 2019.