I have recently listed a sterling silver necklace with an ancient coin reproduction, showing Greek Mythology Goddess Pallas Athena. I always use only AUTHENTIC ancient coins for my sterling jewelry designs, but as an EXCEPTION I have decided to set this replica silver coin in a silver pendant. I hung it on a “snake” sterling chain to be worn as a necklace.
On the back of the coin you will find the image of an OWL which is Athena’s symbol of the way she arrived into this world:
When I was very small , I asked a neigbour of ours who had lived upstairs, what all kids ask:
"where do babies come from"?
She looked at me, with a little smile on her face, pointed at her forehead and said:
"From here! This is where they come from!"
Well, according to the Greek Mythology, Athena was the daughter of the mighty Zeus. She was not born from a woman, but- no more, no less - leaped out of Zeus’s head, clothed with all of her armour!!!
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| Replica silver coin necklace with the image of Athena |
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| The owl symbolizes Athena's birth |
To continue the story , Zeus’s first wife was METIS. She was wisest of all beings. When she was about to give birth to Athena, Zeus, who was aware of Metis's destiny to give birth to the most brilliant children, and wished to prevent them from taking over his place, assimilated her into his own body.
The city of Athens is named after her. She is the patroness of civilized life, art, and of agriculture.
As she was Zeus’s favorite daughter, he let her use his insignia: the terrible shield, the aegis, and his ray, the most dangerous and fearful weapon.
She was "nicknamed" in the Mythology as "The Bright Eyed".
She is the first of the three virgin Goddesses, also known as Maidens (PARTHENOS - Athena, Artemis and Hestia).The famous Parthenon temple was derived from this.
In poetry Athena is described as the symbol of Wisdom, Reason and Purity.
She created the OLIVE TREE, and the OWL is a symbol of her unusual birth.
One of the reasons I used this reproduced coin, inspite of its being only a replica, is its beauty , but there is another reason – I have always admired the Ancient Greeks for choosing a female figure as a symbol of wisdom. Unfortunately, for our world, even today in the 21st century, we think of ourselves as more modern and smart than humans were ever in the past, but women's contribution to our world still sadly underestimated.
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