• Lachrimatory are a class of small vessels of terra-cotta or, more frequently, of glass, found in Roman and late Greek tombs, and supposed to have been bottles into which mourners dropped their tears.
• Lachrymatory were placed in burial tombs as symbols of respect. The more anguish and tears produced, the more important and valued the deceased person was perceived to be.
• Tear bottles reappeared during the Victorian period of the 19th century, when those mourning the loss of loved ones would collect their tears in bottles with special stoppers that allowed the tears to evaporate. When the tears had evaporated, the mourning period would end.

What a pretty symbol that is…