Butterfly Jewelry

Flitting from flower to flower, in a delicate dance, butterflies evoke joy and wonder. Their ephemeral beauty is a captivating reminder of many things, including the shortness of life and the connection between the mortal world and the afterlife. 

Around the world, butterflies are associated with the soul, transformation, youth, and love. Modern depictions of fairies associated with specific plants may have wings of the butterflies who depend on those plants. For example, a fairy with Scotch Argus wings might be pictured among the moor grasses of Scotland and northern England. 

Butterflies Are a Symbol of the Soul

In many regions of the world, butterflies are considered representations of the human soul. In Greek mythology, Psyche was the goddess of the soul and was represented by a butterfly (the word psyche meant both butterfly and soul). Originally a human woman, she had to overcome many trials before being awarded immortality and joining her lover Eros (god of passionate love) among the gods. Her story was symbolic of the connection between love and the soul, and of transformation after hardship. 

Across the Atlantic Ocean, hundreds of thousands of monarch butterflies travel from North America to Mexico every fall. The arrival of the first monarchs coincides with Mexico’s Día de los Muertos, a festival celebrating loved ones who have passed. The monarchs are one of the festival’s many symbols, as they are believed to be the visiting spirits of the departed.

Depictions of butterflies have been noted on ancient Egyptian tombs, and the Japanese believed that butterflies were the souls of both the living and dead. In the United States, some people release butterflies during the memorial service of a departed loved one to represent the soul’s journey onto its next adventure. 

Other Butterfly Symbolism

In addition to their connection to the soul, butterflies are symbols of regeneration and transformation. Christians saw the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly as a symbol of spiritual transformation – the caterpillar representing the mortal body, the chrysalis a casket, and the butterfly was the soul freed from its physical shell.

In both the story of Psyche and the monarch migration of the Americas, the butterfly represents perseverance in the face of hardship. Two butterflies flying together are symbolic of devoted love in China, and in Japan, they represent youth and marital joy. Many cultures also see the butterfly as a symbol of fragile beauty.

Butterfly Jewelry

Celtic Crystal Design Jewelry has several pieces of jewelry to display your love of butterflies. Select a lovely butterfly fairy pendant, or choose one of our silver pieces accented with wings of enamel, mother-of-pearl, or abalone, representing the colorful nature of the butterfly’s wings. For added significance, select a butterfly accented with semiprecious stones or Celtic knotwork. The Trinity knot is a traditional Celtic symbol representing the connection between the mind, body, and soul, making it a perfect complement to the butterfly. Choose a piece for yourself, or as a gift for someone who embodies the spirit of the butterfly.