Wishbones are sort of an odd piece of folklore….
Way back when it was thought that birds were oracles and could tell the future, so after a fine meal of poultry people would save the furcula, aka wishbone, in hopes of gaining divine powers.
The wishbone was left to dry out in the sun, then stroked and saved, hoping the powers would rub off on them.
This was so popular among the Etruscans that the Romans copied them around the 4th century, who in turn passed it on to the Brits, who brought it over to the US when they arrived at Plymouth Rock in the 1620s.
And we all know those guys loved turkeys, which were in huge abundance back when our ancestors came over.
So Thanksgiving, birds, wishbones….see the connection!
Wearing a wishbone is for a promise of good luck, "to get a lucky break."
Did you know that this quote actually is based on breaking the wishbone? Yes, well if you got the larger half of the broken bone, your wish would be granted.
It really wasn't until the 1900's that wishbone inspired jewelry became popular.
The Victorians loved symbolic jewelry. Their designs often featured gemstones, shapes and colors with a hidden meaning. And so, it is easy to see why the wishbone, representing luck and hope, would capture their imaginations.
I don’t know how I feel about playing with dry, crackly bird clavicles, but I do know I do well with diamonds and gold!
How about you?
See the wishbone diamond and gold earrings here