Mini Angels

The mini angels that are on the website

When you think of angels, you probably think of a figure with wings & that's exactly what these little crystal carvings are.

These mini crystal angels are made from amethyst & tiger's eye & are small enough to keep beside your bed, carry with you, on your desk,  or even under your pillow.

But there's a bit more to the angel shape than just looking cute, so let's have a look at where the idea of winged figures comes from, as well as the crystals themselves.

Where did the angel shape come from?

Winged figures have appeared in the art & beliefs of different cultures for thousands of years.

In Ancient Greece, the goddess Nike was often shown with wings.

She was linked with victory & there are surviving Greek sculptures & artwork showing her as a winged figure.

Angels became a familiar part of Christian art too, particularly from the Byzantine period onwards, where they were often shown as winged figures in artwork, paintings & sculptures.

So although the little angel shape we know today is strongly linked to Christian pictures, the use of wings to represent supernatural or divine figures goes back much further.

It's quite interesting when you think about it, a little crystal angel might look like a simple carving, but the shape has a pretty long history behind it.

Amethyst Angel

Amethyst has been used by different cultures for a very long time.

Ancient Egyptians used amethyst to make amulets, beads, jewellery & scarabs. Amulets & jewellery could have important protective & symbolic meanings.

The Ancient Greeks had a very different link to amethyst. The name comes from the Greek word amethystos, meaning "not drunk" & they believed the crystal could protect someone from getting drunk; this connection with wine also became part of Roman beliefs about amethyst.

So you've got two very different cultural links with the same crystal; Ancient Egyptians using it in amulets & jewellery & Ancient Greeks linking it with sobriety & wine.

Today, amethyst is traditionally linked to helping you relax, improve sleep & think clearly.

When you put all of that together with the angel shape, you end up with a little carving that's got plenty of history behind it.

Tiger's Eye Angel

Tiger's eye has some interesting modern traditions around it too, but this is one where it's worth separating historical fact from the stories that have grown up around crystals over time.

You'll often see claims that Ancient Egyptians used tiger's eye as a protective stone or that Roman soldiers carried tiger's eye into battle.

These stories are repeated quite a lot, but the historical evidence for those specific claims isn't as strong as you might think.

What we do know is that tiger's eye has a distinctive appearance, with its golden-brown colouring & moving band of light, which has made it popular as a decorative material & gemstone.

The idea of the stone being connected with confidence, courage & protection is much more commonly found in later crystal traditions.

Today, tiger's eye is traditionally linked to confidence, courage & focus.

So this little tiger's eye angel combines those traditional links with a shape that has its own long history of winged figures.

Why choose an angel?

You might choose a crystal angel because you like the shape, because you like the crystal, or because you think it's a lovely little carving.

You don't need a complicated reason.

The shape doesn't change the crystal itself, so an amethyst angel is still amethyst & a tiger's eye angel is still tiger's eye. The traditional healing properties of the crystal are the same.

The angel shape just gives you another way to enjoy the crystal.

Because these are mini angels, they're easy to find a space for.

Keep one beside your bed, on your desk while you're working, put it on a shelf with your other crystals, put it under your pillow or take it with you.

Sometimes you just see a little carving & think, "Yep, that's the one!" 😂

Which one would you choose?

Would you go for the purple amethyst angel or the golden-brown tiger’s eye angel?

Or would you choose based purely on which one you liked the look of?

There’s no right or wrong answer, that’s part of the fun of choosing crystals. 💜