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.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/99440193/silver-coin-necklace-with-goddess-athena

Wandering Dog Named Kaya and Dr. Axel Munthe

About four years ago, a carpenter  who owns a workshop near mine had adopted a puppy. It was a cute little female from unknown origin. When he brought it home to his wife, she did not wish to adopt it. He then kept her tied up with a chain at the backyard of his workshop, He took good care of her, but yet I  pitied her being tied to a chain all day . He did not like her very much. I asked him to let her visit my workshop every once in a while, And so he did. He called her "Kaya". In the evenings he would take her back "home" and tie her again outside his door. In the nights she would bark and the neigbours complained about the noise.

Meanwhile she grew to become a beautiful dog.

Finally he passed her on to a neigbour of his. Kaya still did not feel very much at home in the new place. I myself could not adopt her, as I live in an apartment with no room for a big dog, and she could not be left alone with my cat,  I also did not feel it would be right to leave her inside my own workshop at night either, especially when I do not go there everyday.

Inspite of this, Kaya and me got on very well together. Whenever she saw my car arrive, she would run over to me, lean her front paws on my door with a "gift" in her mouth for me (a stone or a rag) and make some strange up and down sirene sounds of happiness to see me. Then she would follow me to my workshop door and lay inside for hours while I worked, enjoying the air condition, summer and winter. Shortly before I would leave, she would give me an "I want to go out" look and I would let her go back "home".

Then one day she disappeared. I became worried.When I inquired as to her whereabouts, I was told she moved with her new "family" to another kibbutz near by. Three years have passed and then -  there I am, seated at my workbench in my jewelry workshop, when I suddenly heard a familiar bark! Guess who was at the door happily wagging her tail...She looks happy and well kept, and she still runs over to my car with a gift in her mouth..

Last September I had visited the most beautiful Villa San Michele in  Anacapri in South Italy, which was built and very tastefully decorated with ancient sculptures and art by the famous doctor and writer Dr. Axel Munthe  (1857-1949), and was one of the great humanitarians . Beside his love for art beauty and nature, he loved animals, mainly dogs.

Dr. Axel Munthe and his dogs

Here is a quote from his thoughts about the general character of dogs :
"
The dog cannot pretend, is unable to deceive, will not  lie as he cannot speak. The dog is a saint ... A dog gladly accepts the superiority of his master over himself ... He regards his master as his king, almost as his god ... He instincly feels when he is not wanted, can lie quite still for many hours while his king is hard at work, as is what happens with kings, or at least shpuld be. But when his king is sad and upset, he knows that his time has come so he creeps up and lays his head on his lap as if to say:" Don't worry! Never mind if they all have abandoned  you, I am here to replace all your friends and to fight all your enemies".
"
The following image is of an excerpt of a mosaic floor at the entrance to his famous Villa San Michele:

"cave can em" in Latin means "Beware of the dog"!!
If this dog was the guard of his villa, I suspect Dr. Munthe  had a great sense of humor too!

Thank you for watching!

My Moroccan Style Inspiration

I've been living in Israel ever since I was born. The citizens in my country have gathered here from all over the world. This has opened me to many beautiful and different colors, traditions, shapes, exotic food, and forms. Some of the most talented people have arrived here from  Morocco, about 40-60 years ago, bringing with them rich traditions of design .
I have always been fascinated with the buildings I've seen in photographs from Marrakesh or other parts of Morocco. I have realized, that unintentionally I've handcrafted jewelry which is inspired by these beautiful shapes.

Moroccan lamp

The design of this Moroccon lamp,  seems like it was sawed out of the metal in a perpetual form. In my Wide Lattice Silver Bangle which is a rather different design,  I sawed the silver with a design which is somehow  reminiscent of the shape of a lattice. Later, I soldered on it pieces of sterling silver and gold and a 9k gold dove and added tiny Lapis Lazuli cabochons to it.

Wide Lattice Silver Bangle

At the end of 2011, about a month ago, I handmade these long oval Silver and Peridot earrings, which are inspired - not copied - by a Moroccon shape too:

Silver and Peridot Earrings

Somehow they remind me of some kind of dried fruit too. Don't they?




Hope you like my stuff. Here you will find more
handcrafted artisan jewelry:
http://etsy.com/shop/riorita

My new Ancient Coin Ring

    
I picked up this Ancient Judaean Coin ring from my coin collection and handcrafted a ring with it. The coin was struck in ancient Jerusalem during  the First Jewish Revolt against the romans in the years 66-70 and it rolled and rolled (for this is what happens to coins - they are round and they roll...) until it reached my box of ancient coins.Ting! But it did not stay there as you may see: 

Ancient coin ring - sterling silver and a  Judaean "Pruta"

The coin was struck in Bronze and is called  "prutah". It has on its surface a vine leaf on a small branch.  The Vine leaf, and a bunch of grapes, on other similar coins, are popular in Jewish art.  The vine is one of the seven agricultural species of  Judaea. Vine leaves and grape branches are a symbol of peace, contentment and long lasting life.

Ancient coin ring with "Prutah"

The inner part of the ring

Size of the ring US 6.90
Size of the bezelled coin is 0.7" in diam. (about 22mm)


more handcrafted artisan jewelry:
http://etsy.com/shop/riorita