In the SCA, I usually help people with their heraldry or do scribal... but I recently learned how to make paternosters - early Medieval rosaries. They’re effectively prayer beads, with gauds that were larger that represented the Our Father (Pater Noster) and the smaller beads being the Ave Maria’s (Hail Mary’s). The beads, in period, could be made of agate, jasper, jet, glass, shell, bone, wood, onyx, gold, silver, etc. Traditionally they have 5 decades of beads (Aves) with accompanying guads.
I LOVE beads, especially beads made out of semiprecious stones - metaphysical properties in gemstones have fascinated me for a long time, so I wanted to take some of those properties and utilize them in the Paternosters here. I’m not Catholic, so these prayer beads are more like meditation beads for me, but they could have other meanings, like the Our Father, etc, for other SCAdians.
From the top we have:
Dalmatian Jasper and Onyx - Protection and Confidence Yellow Cord - Prosperity and Friendship
Dalmatian Jasper, Black Onyx, and Glass - Balance, Self Control and Focus White Cord - Protection and Enlightenment
Agate and White Shell - Harmony and Imagination Blue Cord - Wisdom and Happiness
Moss Agate, Shell, and Onyx - Meditation, Imagination, and Inner Strength Green Cord - Courage and Luck
Picture Jasper and Agate - Visualization and Composure Brown/Beige Cord - Security and Endurance Red Cord - Ambition and Motivation
These meanings definitely aren’t the only ones associated with these stones or the colors, but that’s what stood out to me, so that’s how I described them here. :)
Resources: http://paternoster-row.medievalscotland.org/ http://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/ http://www.witchipedia.com/table:color-correspondences
