Persephone, Goddess of Spring and the Underworld Persephone is not just a goddess—she’s a goddess and a queen. Her story begins while picking flowers in a field when she caught the eye of Hades, the king of the Underworld, who was struck dumb by her beauty. Infatuated and overcome with desire, Hades abducted Persephone and took her back to the Underworld with him. Demeter, goddess of agriculture and mother of Persephone, searched the world for her daughter in vain. In her grief, she withered crops and turned soil infertile, refusing to relent until her daughter was returned to her. After months of human starvation, Hades was forced to release his bride. During those months of wandering the bleak Elysian fields of the dead, Persephone yearned for the sweetness of the life she left above. In her sorrow, she cracked open a pomegranate, and crushed a seed between her teeth. The tart juice ran over her tongue, reminding her of the luscious fruits that grew in her home. But there is an ancient and universal truth about partaking in the food of the dead. That single, tiny seed that passed her lips forever tied Persephone to the underworld. She would be allowed to return to her mother and the world of the living, but she was compelled to spend one third of the year as Queen of the Underworld. Thus, as the springtime goddess retreated under the earth, leaves turned and fell, crops died, humans and animals huddled together as the land froze over. When the season passed, Persephone would emerge again, and the world would bloom. This medallion features a portrait of Persephone based on an ancient statue of her from the island of Crete. In her crown rests an ethical 2mm ruby, symbolizing the famous pomegranate seed that sealed her fate. Product Details Ethically-sourced 2mm natural ruby 1 inch diameter 18 inch solid rolo chain
