What kind of Jewelry would Goddess Aphrodite wear? - Part 1
In Greek mythology Aphrodite was the Olympian Goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation. For Romans Venus was identified with the Greek Aphrodite. And interestingly many older cultures had similar goddesses. For Hittites, Ancient Egyptians, Phyrigians, Sumerians and Anatolians there were Inanna, Ishtar, Asherah, Arinitti, Astarte, Ashtoreth and Hathor. All symbols of desire, beauty and the power that comes with them. So Aphrodite is not only beautiful but timeless also therefore she existed in many forms one can say. In fact today her legacy still connects us to ancient times where Gods and Goddesses ruled.
I have many things that inspire me. Goddess Aphrodite has been the muse for many of my handmade jewelry creations. That is not surprising because her classical beauty inspired many artists over the centuries. From unknown masters to Praxiteles, Menophantos, Sandro Botticelli, William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Enrique Simonet many paintings and cultures owe tribute to her greatness.
According to Hesiod’s Theogony, she was born from the foam in the waters of Paphos, on the island of Cyprus. Therefore she is also known as the Lady of Cyprus. Aphrodite is often identified with one or more of the following: a mirror, an apple, a myrtle wreath, a sacred bird or dove, a scepter, and a flower. On occasion, she is also depicted riding a swan or goose.
To avoid conflict led by her beauty, Zeus had Aphrodite marry Hephaestus. But Aphrodite was not faithful to him and she had many lovers. God of War Ares, mortal man Anchises and naturally Adonis the Greek God of beauty and desire. Since Aphrodite could pose great influence over both mortals and immortals, she become the main hero in numerous myths, poems, and theatrical masterpieces.
Aphrodite is the key figure in many myths including the story of Eros & Psyche and of course she was the key figure in the 'Judgment of Paris' which is the main event that supposedly started the Trojan war. Perhaps now that you know how important Aphrodite has been in Greek legends, I can move on and talk about how she fits into my jewelry work.
In many of my ancient Greek themed jewelry you can find an amazing engraving of Goddess Aphrodite. This engraving in a particularly large one, resembling a period coin in terms of style and execution. The original artifact that helped me create this engraving comes from the ancient city of Knidos, which is located in Datca peninsula of modern day Turkey. Knidos was an amazing city located on the Aegean coast. Among the several temples
Well back to the source of inspiration. The original artifact that inspired me is an ancient Greek ring made out of ivory. It is on display in Bodrum Museum. I hope to get a photo of it soon so that I can share it with you. Photos that are attached below show the Aphrodite engraving that I use in my jewelry. It comes in silver and brass set in silver for that rich gold look.
In the next part of my blog, I would like to show how I incorporated the Aphrodite engraving into a ring and a necklace. Stay tuned!
