By the last years of the War, everyone had experienced some loss- in their family, neighbors, classmates, and friends. Mourning their memory became an important ritual to the Victorians.
One way this loss and devotion was shown was by the art of hairwork. Hairwork used samples of a loved one's cut hair treated with chemicals, and then woven and arranged to form beautiful designs in functional ways- watch fobs, earbobs (earrings), bracelets, pins, broaches, etc. Hair mementos started before the Civil War and also continued after the Civil War.
Today we may think these articles are made of wire, but close examination shows the fine hair. Memorial wreaths were made from the hair of several members of a family, female or male.
