Black Bears Jewelry Box
This beautiful box tells a story of two black bears out in the wilderness. While one bear sleeps snuggled against him, the other looks up at the vast expanse that is the night sky and sees the stars. The great bear, Ursa Major, looks down and sees her reflection in the eyes of the earthbound black bear. The bears' paw prints encircling the sides of the jewelry box represent the cycle of life; the bears will return to the stars whence they came.
$85 |
Black Bear Box: 12x9x3½ inches |
Jewelry Box Details
The design is burned into the wood before paint is applied in several thin glazes to give depth of colour, while still allowing the wood grain to peek through. The constellations of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor - the little bear are picked out in silver, along with a glint of starlight in the black bear's eye.
Finally the jewelry box is given a protective acrylic coat for a deep lustrous sheen. An added gold chain helps protect the hinges. The base interior is lined with blue fabric. If you love black bears you will love this beautiful and functional addition to your home.
The box is made from quality basswood and made in the USA. Scroll down to explore some of the mythology surrrounding the Great Bear, Ursa Major.
Ursa Major Mythology
In Greek mythology, the beautiful Callisto was seduced by Zeus, king of the gods. She bore him a son Arcas. Hera, the wife of Zeus was jealous and would have slain Callisto. But, Zeus changed Callisto into a bear to conceal her.
After many years Arcas grew into a handsome young man. When out hunting one day he was seen by his mother. As Callisto approached to better see her now grown son, he did not recognize her. Arcas got ready to slay the bear he thought was attacking him. Zeus was watching and stopped him from killing his mother.
Hera now knew where Callisto was and would have killed her, but Zeus grabbed the bear by the tail and flung her into the heavens. He then changed Arcas into a bear cub and flung him into the heavens beside his mother. They became the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. The thwarted, vengeful Hera went to Tethys, wife of Oceanus, to make a curse that the bears would forever travel in circles never to dip their snouts into the ocean. This explained, for those in northern latitudes, why both constellations remain above the horizon.
There are many myths associated with Ursa Major since primitive times in widely different cultures. The common name for the constellation in the UK is the plough, thought to have medieval origins. The druid's name for it is Arthur's plough. The Druid's midwinter festival is Alba Arthan, light of the bear. The meaning of the constellation tied in with the Great Bear and Arthur the mythic King of Britain. Some native Americans have a folk tale were the constellation is seen as a bear pursued by three hunters. The first hunter carries a bow and arrow to kill the bear, the second has a large pot on his shoulder in which to cook the bear, the third hauls wood to light a fire beneath the pot.
