into the waves

unnaturalist:

Victorian Tear Catcher

the-collection-of-oddities:

These items are a personal favorite of mine. I’ve always wanted to own one. They are Victorian tear catchers, usually used by a widowed bride. Upon the day of the funeral, the widow would collect her tears into this small vile, and all the tears she cried in the first year over the loss of her husband, she would capture in this vile she would wear upon her neck. And on the anniversary of his death, she pours the preserved tears atop his gravesite. It’s beautiful, tragic, and prolongs the suffering for ritualistic purposes. However, it’s quite poetic. If I were ever to loose someone close to me, I would do this. 

(via beyondtheseawaiting)