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Haunting Keepsakes: Strange Mourning Tokens from the Past
Manage episode 491652692 series 3417046
Would you ever keep a photo of a loved one taken after they died? Or wear a bracelet made from their hair?
In this episode of Spirit Speakeasy, we’re exploring some of the most haunting—and surprisingly heartfelt—mourning practices from the past.
From Victorian post-mortem photography and death masks, to hair jewelry and family hair wreaths displayed in living rooms, these tangible tokens of grief may seem strange by today’s standards… but they once carried deep spiritual, emotional, and cultural meaning.
💀 You’ll learn about:
— Why photographing the dead was once considered an act of love
— How human hair became a powerful symbol of remembrance
— What death masks revealed (and preserved)
— The oddly beautiful tradition of hanging woven hair art in the home
— How these forgotten practices might help us better understand grief today
✨ Whether you find them creepy, beautiful, or both… these keepsakes remind us that grief has always found a way to take shape.
Show Notes:
Select Sources & Further Reading
Photography:
• The Burns Archive – Historical post-mortem photography
https://www.burnsarchive.com
Mourning Jewelry & Hair Art:
• Relics of Death in Victorian Literature and Culture – Deborah Lutz
• V&A Museum – Mourning Jewelry Collection
https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/mourning-jewellery
• National Museum of Funeral History
https://www.nmfh.org
• Strange Remains – “The Hairy Art of Victorian Mourning Jewelry”
https://www.strangeremains.com/?p=1016
Death Masks:
• Britannica – “Death mask”
https://www.britannica.com/art/death-mask
• Atlas Obscura – “Why Death Masks Were Once All the Rage”
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/death-masks
Join me Live on Zoom for my Free Monthly Community Healing session! You'll receive a blend of Reiki (Energy Healing), Chakra & Aura Clearing & Balancing, Color Healing, Grounding, Cord Cutting, Trance Medium Healing & more.
Get all the details & Sign up now to receive the link and replay for the next session! https://www.joyfulmedium.com/Events
Get Joy's Free "Sign Magnet" 3 Day Mini Course HERE https://www.joyfulmedium.com/sign-magnet
Joy's Website: www.joyfulmedium.com
Instagram: @JoyfulMedium
TikTok: @JoyfulMedium
Facebook: @JoyfulMedium
Facebook Group: Joy's Soul Spa
YouTube: Psychic Medium Joy Giovanni
127 episodes
Manage episode 491652692 series 3417046
Would you ever keep a photo of a loved one taken after they died? Or wear a bracelet made from their hair?
In this episode of Spirit Speakeasy, we’re exploring some of the most haunting—and surprisingly heartfelt—mourning practices from the past.
From Victorian post-mortem photography and death masks, to hair jewelry and family hair wreaths displayed in living rooms, these tangible tokens of grief may seem strange by today’s standards… but they once carried deep spiritual, emotional, and cultural meaning.
💀 You’ll learn about:
— Why photographing the dead was once considered an act of love
— How human hair became a powerful symbol of remembrance
— What death masks revealed (and preserved)
— The oddly beautiful tradition of hanging woven hair art in the home
— How these forgotten practices might help us better understand grief today
✨ Whether you find them creepy, beautiful, or both… these keepsakes remind us that grief has always found a way to take shape.
Show Notes:
Select Sources & Further Reading
Photography:
• The Burns Archive – Historical post-mortem photography
https://www.burnsarchive.com
Mourning Jewelry & Hair Art:
• Relics of Death in Victorian Literature and Culture – Deborah Lutz
• V&A Museum – Mourning Jewelry Collection
https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/mourning-jewellery
• National Museum of Funeral History
https://www.nmfh.org
• Strange Remains – “The Hairy Art of Victorian Mourning Jewelry”
https://www.strangeremains.com/?p=1016
Death Masks:
• Britannica – “Death mask”
https://www.britannica.com/art/death-mask
• Atlas Obscura – “Why Death Masks Were Once All the Rage”
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/death-masks
Join me Live on Zoom for my Free Monthly Community Healing session! You'll receive a blend of Reiki (Energy Healing), Chakra & Aura Clearing & Balancing, Color Healing, Grounding, Cord Cutting, Trance Medium Healing & more.
Get all the details & Sign up now to receive the link and replay for the next session! https://www.joyfulmedium.com/Events
Get Joy's Free "Sign Magnet" 3 Day Mini Course HERE https://www.joyfulmedium.com/sign-magnet
Joy's Website: www.joyfulmedium.com
Instagram: @JoyfulMedium
TikTok: @JoyfulMedium
Facebook: @JoyfulMedium
Facebook Group: Joy's Soul Spa
YouTube: Psychic Medium Joy Giovanni
127 episodes
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