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Expression Atelier
Hourglass motif illustration

CROSS-CULTURAL · CRAFT

Hourglass

What it means: Measuring time; focus and appreciation of the present are editorial metaphors.

Royal Museums Greenwich records maritime speed measurement combining the length of a trailing knotted line with a sandglass. One example measured 28 seconds; sandglasses do not all measure an hour.

Often chosen for: New beginnings & hope · Peace, calm & comfort · Care, gratitude & remembrance · Curiosity, creativity & wonder

Respectful use: This image cannot measure time. Do not invent an ancient Egyptian origin or an exact unsupported invention date.

Design a gift with hourglass

Sources: [1] rmg.co.uk

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Meanings vary by community and context. We show the documented meaning and its source — never a promise of any outcome.