What is a mourning brooch?

A mourning brooch is a piece of jewelry that was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, designed to commemorate the passing of a loved one. These brooches typically contained a lock of hair, miniature portrait, or other personal memento of the deceased, and were worn as a sign of mourning. They were often made of black enamel or contained somber symbols like weeping willows or urns.