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Sunday, May 13, 2012

Silver Coin Necklace with Goddess Athena



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!!! 


Replica silver coin necklace with the image of Athena

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.

8 comments:

Duni said...

Amazing pendant! Interesting mythology. Women used to be revered in higher cultures, but the church put paid to that.

riorita said...

Oh Duni, unfortunately not only the church. I'm afraid that all religions. And between you and me - women are to be "blamed" for it too!

riorita said...

And - Thank you for your comment!

Lostlemonade said...

Thanks for sharing all that groovy history/mythology! It's nice to know at one point, our wisdom was valued ^_^. Love the pendant as well.

Trina Prenzi said...

Interesting mythology, thanks for sharing. Very cool pendant!

Faith_Create! said...

I learned something today. It's always interesting to wear a piece of jewelry with a story...and what a story this one has!

Stela said...

Love the pendant! and awesome mythology!

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