- Prayer beads for Artenus, Greek goddess of the wilderness, goddess of the hunt, protector of young women
- Devotional beads for prayer and meditation, may be worn as a necklace
- Approximately 33" (84 cm) in length, made with 6mm moss agate, natural stone beads may vary in appearance
- Made by hand with love and care at a very small home-based business
This set of Artemis prayer beads in moss agate consists of four sets of twelve beads each on the loop, each set separated by a larger bead. Joining the string is an additional bead and a pendant, a symbol representing the goddess: the bee. In the ancient city of Ephesus, Artemis was associated with the bee; in fact, her priestesses were known as melissai or "honey bees."
The pendant is based on the design of an Ephesian coin reflecting the city's importance as a center of worship for the goddess; on either side of the bee are the greek letters Epsilon and Phi, an abbreviation of the city's name.
{Please note that the pendant is a brighter tone of gold than it appears in the picture--in a choice between accuracy of color and level of detail, I went with the latter.)
It is made with 6mm moss agate gemstone beads and gols-toned metal divider beads, separated by gold-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 loop itself is approximately 33" (83.8cm) in circumference. It is designed to be used in prayer and meditation, to decorate an altar or shrine, and/or to adorn a statue.
The beads can also be worn slipped over the head as a necklace. If you plan to wear it, please make sure a 33" (83.8cm) loop will fit easily over your head, as this piece has no clasp (although it can be made with one if desired--please contact me for information on customization!)
The beads come with a prayer to Artemis, and with a cotton muslin bag for storage.
You can, of course, use the beads with any prayers, or for any god or gods, that you choose or that resonate with you.