Ancient Lion Pendant Necklace from The Met Museum

Our modern necklace in 14k vermeil evokes an ancient gold lion-head pendant in The Met, which was made on the island of Cyprus during the second half of the 5th century B.C. On the original pendant, the lion-head is finely modeled in two halves, left and right, with a flat gold sheet closing off the neck aperture. For centuries, global cultures have crafted jewelry with protective charms that wearers believe will enhance their personal power: symbols of religious faith, images of fierce creatures, bells to summon ancient spirits, and beyond.