A round mango wood dish, 10 cm across and 2.5 cm high, with a glossy lacquered inside. Gold dots line its dark blue rim. The white centre shows a young woman's face drawn in gold lines, with flowers in her wavy hair and a large crescent moon beneath. A small hole in the middle of the face holds an incense stick. Around the drawing runs a ring of constellations. As it is wood, the grain differs a little from piece to piece. Made in India; you receive one dish.
The star of the wheat ear
Old pictures show Virgo holding an ear of wheat. Spica, the brightest star of the constellation, takes its name from the Latin word for an ear of grain.
Virgo is an earth sign, running roughly from 23 August to 22 September. Astrological tradition sees its people as thorough and helpful, happiest when everything is in its place.
So the earrings stay together
A pair of earrings easily goes missing at the bottom of a drawer. Put them in this dish every time and you won't have to search for them in the morning. The 2.5 cm rim keeps even small pieces inside, with room for a coiled bead bracelet or two.
It works for incense too, as the stick stands upright in the hole. Stay close while it burns, set the dish on a heat-proof surface and air the room afterwards. The package contains only the dish, no incense.
For a late summer or early autumn birthday
For a Virgo friend, here is a present that keeps their small things in order and shows their own sign. If you know they like incense, give it with a box of sticks.