Silver plated lead free and nickel free pewter round Flower of Life mandala pendant. Light and lacy appearance, but works as a medallion.
This measures 1.69 inches long from the top of the bail by 1.34 inches wide. The loop is 2mm in diameter.
The Flower of Life is an example of sacred geometric designs. Essentially, it is comprised of same size circles that overlap each other so that each side of the circle dived by the overlapping circle is the same radius. There are different kinds of geometric flower sacred patterns. Some form a bowed triangle in the center of where the circles overlap. This mandala has the starting point of the flower of life pattern: six overlapping circles. Other Flower of Life designs start with seven overlapping circles.
This design with six is about harmony, love, balance, perfection, home, ancestors, comfort, family and protection. As you can see, these overlapping circles are exactly the same distance from each other so that they create a geometric shape that is essentially a hexagon. This is its own sacred geometry in Pagan practices. Some believe this design to be an entry point into the Akashic Records: the records of every life form throughout all of time.
This has come to be a cherished New Age design used for focus during meditation.
A Flower of Life pattern decoration with seven or 19 overlapping circles shows up in numerous artifacts from the 6th or 7th century BCE forward in Roman art, Islamic art and in Gothic art. The oldest example is on display in the Louvre in Paris. It is from the threshold of a palace that belonged to the King of Assyria.
The design wasn't known as the Flower of Life though until our more recent New Age and now shows up on metaphysical objects, spiritual art, meditation mandalas, quilts, architecture, clothing, furnishings, tile, jewelry and tattoos. There is an Alpine folk art design that is the same thing known as the Sun of the Alps. Later, the English used the symbol on their buildings to keep witches out. Leonardo da Vinci, fascinated by sacred geometry symbols, wrote about the 7 overlapping circle design at great length.
Islamic art uses grids of overlapping circles for for the design of stars and hexagons. It is called a girih. The final art looks more like interwoven strips or straps than overlapping circles.
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