Bead in the Shape of a Fish c. 501 - 800

This is a small bead carved into the shape of a fish. Even in its simple form, the fish is a symbol laden with meaning that swims through the depths of time. Consider the early Christians who adopted the fish, or "ichthys" in Greek, as a secret symbol to identify themselves, a subtle yet powerful emblem of faith in the face of persecution. The fish is also an emblem of abundance and fertility, linked to ancient deities of the sea, and evoking a sense of life teeming beneath the surface. From the Paleolithic cave paintings depicting fish as a source of sustenance to its symbolic use in mythology and religion, the fish connects us to primal needs and spiritual quests. It resurfaces time and again, evolving in meaning, yet retaining its essence as a potent symbol of transformation and the subconscious.