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If you’re looking for something that will add an extra something to your outfit, then an octopus necklace may be your solution for remaining Steampunk even in your day to day life.
You might be wondering what is so Steampunk about an octopus necklace? Well, think of it this way, the octopus is like the patronus of Steampunk. Its use within Steampunk is likely to originate from Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea that was written in 1870. The novel features Captain Nemo and the Nautilus, his advanced submarine that has Steampunk written all over it. In the novel, Nautilus encounters and fights many giant octopuses. It is most likely then, that Steampunk’s obsession with the octopus originates from this classic tale.
As well as the fictional inspiration for the octopus’s influence in Steampunk, there are some historical origins. The octopus was once used as a symbol of the industrial revolution and of the building of railroads. This is because the Southern Pacific Railroad was once called ‘The Octopus’ due to railroad companies being seen as monsters with railroads similar to tentacles and stealing land.
