This set of Dionysos prayer beads consists of three groups of twelve beads, to represent the Greek dodecatheon of twelve gods (there are many more than twelve Greek gods, but most cities had their own group of twelve) and the mythic division of the world into three realms--the sea, the heavens, and the underworld. Separating these sections are three hanging pendants, each a symbol representing the god, each reminding us of his great gift of wine with all its joys and sorrows:
Grape cluster - Dionysos is god of the grape harvest; a number of his festivals were devoted to the harvest and fermentation of the grape.
Leopard - The leopard is Dionysos' animal; he is often shown wearing a leopard skin and/or riding a leopard.
Mask - The mask was used in the ecstatic Dionysian mysteries, as well as being worn in Greek theatrical productions.
The purple color of the beads represents the grape and the wine so important in Dionysos' worship.
It is made with 10mm purple fire-polished Czech glass beads, separated by silver-toned metal spacer beads, and glass seed beads to provide a comfortable transition from one bead to the next and to make the piece lightweight, supple, and easy to handle. The string itself is approximately 33.25" (84.4cm) in circumference and can be worn if desired, although it is designed to be used in prayer and meditation, to decorate an altar or shrine, and/or to adorn a statue.
The beads come with a prayer to Dionysos, written specifically to be used with this prayer bead design (you can, of course, use the beads with any prayers, or for any god or gods, that you choose or that resonate with you) and with a cotton muslin bag for storage.
