A little spooky jewellery history for you this Halloween.
Today, jewellery featuring skulls usually appears as part of goth culture.
Look back a few hundred years though? You'll find it was widely used in jewellery.
Around the 16th century, grim symbols like skulls and bones were often used in jewellery to represent those that have passed. Sometimes these symbols would be accompanied by details like a loved one's name, date of birth, or date of death.
These pieces were known as "Memento Mori" which in Latin means "remember you must die".
Sounds morbid, right?
In fact, it was seen as quite the opposite.
Hundreds of years ago, life was very different. Life expectancies were short. Death was a far more prominent factor in life than it generally is today.
These pieces of jewellery were seen as symbols of love for the people they've lost, and symbols of empowerment for the wearer. It was a reminder to live life to the fullest, and make the most of the time you have.
Happy Halloween