deviant art

Deviant Login
Buy ArtBuy T-Shirts & Gear Buy adCast Buy Premium Membership
Shop
 Join deviantART for FREE Take the Tour
[x]
Browse More Like This
Shop Similar Prints
This Print Not AvailableDownload Image
JPG, 1010×1099 more ▶

More from *Ellygator

Featured in Groups:

:iconmetal-clay-art: #Metal-Clay-Art

Details

June 30, 2010
1.4 MB
1010×1099
Link
Thumb

Statistics

Comments: 48
Favourites: 69 [who?]


Views: 2,462 (0 today)
Downloads: 61 (0 today)
[x]
:iconellygator:
(2010) 2" x 3.5" for the pendant, silver art clay (cut, carved, fired, polished and burnished), 2 amethyst cabs, copy of a Greek coin, bezel wire, silver wire, faceted amethyst beads, Bali silver beads, silver clasp

The coin for this necklace was minted in Maroneia, an ancient town in Thrace that was supposedly founded by Maron, a son of Dionysus. The town goes back to Homeric times when Odysseus plundered the city, but spared the founder, Maron, who presented him with the one product the city was famous for throughout ancient times - its fabled wine.

The city embraced its wine production in building a lavish sanctuary to Dionysus, who is the patron god of sacred intoxication, but also by putting the god's face on their elegant silver coins. Even in Roman times the town fared well being declared a free city during the time of the Republic.

Inspired by the elegant portrait of the ivy-crowned youthful god I added vine and thyrsos motifs along the edges of the coin setting, chose amethysts which are sacred to the god for the stones, and finished the design with hand-made spiral-chain segments that were prized by Hellenistic jewelers and seemed to fit well with the overall vine design.
Add a Comment:
 
Preview   Add Comment
:iconaelcharya:
~Aelcharya Oct 8, 2010  Hobbyist General Artist
Delicate like fine wine... Adore the design.
Reply
:iconellygator:
*Ellygator Oct 9, 2010  Hobbyist General Artist
Thanks so much! I really enjoyed working on this series.
Reply
:iconrosaarvensis:
=rosaarvensis Sep 26, 2010  Hobbyist Photographer
Very interesting series. To be honest, I don't like all these ancient Roman and Greek culture things but these necklaces are really beautiful :heart:
Reply
:iconellygator:
*Ellygator Sep 27, 2010  Hobbyist General Artist
Thank you. It was fun reading up on the stories behind the coins...
Reply
:iconverlisaerys:
~Verlisaerys Jul 17, 2010  Hobbyist Traditional Artist
Beautiful!
Reply
:iconellygator:
*Ellygator Jul 18, 2010  Hobbyist General Artist
Thanks so much!
Reply
:iconbright-circle:
~Bright-Circle Jul 11, 2010
Funny but I always imagined Dionysus as an old man.
Reply
:iconellygator:
*Ellygator Jul 14, 2010  Hobbyist General Artist
I know, like old Satyr...
Reply
:iconkarasunokazu:
~Karasunokazu Jul 5, 2010  Professional Traditional Artist
That is so beautiful, and I love amethysts! I can really picture a lady of ancient times wearing this. It's lovely!
Reply
:iconellygator:
*Ellygator Jul 7, 2010  Hobbyist General Artist
Thank you! I love amethyst and silver, too. Always so mysterious...
Reply
Add a Comment:
 
Preview   Add Comment
©2013 deviantART. All rights reserved
About Us | Contact Us | Developers | Careers | Site Tour | Help & FAQ Advertise | Premium Membership Etiquette | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Copyright Policy