“A spider on the wall/

Signifies success/

Whose success I cannot guess/”

 

Pacific Overtures, “Chrysanthemum Tea.” 

Love them or hate them, spiders are a part of our lives. They creep around, freaking us out with their many legs and sneaky ways of moving across the wall. They terrify us, but we know they serve a purpose. When it comes to these strange, subtle insects, we can at once be horrified by the thought of them and stand in awe of their ability to weave a web that sparkles in the sun. They’re creative creatures by nature, hard workers who tend to remain solitary.

But what’s the deeper meaning here? How have we, as humans, figured out a way to co-exist with these heavily symbolic creatures that, deep down, freak most of us out?

Different cultures have found a few ways of doing this. The ancient Greeks believed that spiders were the product of a weaving contest between the spiteful goddess Athena and a woman named Arachne. When Arachne won the challenge, she was transformed into a spider as punishment, left to weave her creations in places where no one could appreciate them. Spiders can be tragic figures in mythology. They can also be tricksters, as in certain African mythologies as well as Native American fables. They can be threatening or auspicious, depending on who’s looking at them. One thing is clear: they’re never neutral.

There’s such a wealth of interpretation when it comes to stories about these creatures. Throughout history, every culture has had its own view of what spiders do and what they mean. The fact that we’ve been able to both worship them and fear them in equal measure speaks to their power as artistic symbols. That’s why we took inspiration from the humble, bewitching creature for our striking Spider ring. As we inch closer to those cold weather days that we all dread, chances are we’re going to start seeing a lot more spiders around. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. When you’ve got one of our spider rings, you’re harnessing the power of one of the most creative creatures alive. They’ve survived for centuries just to bring you a bit of good luck. So wear your spider ring like a talisman, and enjoy the luck it brings.

Happy Halloween, darlings.

Bazooka Grooves