€ 160
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Caduceus necklace | sterling silver
Choosing for a friend who is a doctor, or nearly one? This caduceus necklace gives her a symbol of her work to wear. To a reader of the Greek myths it is something older: the staff Hermes carried.
Who It's For
- a friend at the end of medical school, for graduation day
- a friend who practises medicine
- a nurse or a pharmacist
- a historian of medicine, or of the ancient world
- yourself, whether you work in medicine or read the myths
Lynne R.: “I bought one for myself to see what it looked like, now I am buying more as gifts.”
The Wand That Brings Sleep
Homer's Hermes carries a rhabdos, a wand, and it has power over sleep. Homer gives it no snakes, but it is the same staff of Hermes. In the last book of the Iliad, Zeus sends Hermes to guide the old king Priam through the Greek camp, to ransom the body of his son Hector from Achilles. Hermes takes up “the wand wherewith he lulls to sleep the eyes of whom he will, while others again he awakens even out of slumber”. At the camp he sheds sleep on the guards, opens the gates and brings Priam in with his gifts, unseen.
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FAQ
How big is the pendant, and how does it sit?
The pendant measures 28 mm (about 1.1 inches), almost 4 mm more than the width of a US quarter. It hangs from a single loop at the top on a 45 cm (17.7 inch) sterling silver chain with a 5 cm (2 inch) extender, and sits below the collarbone. Extra chains for layering can be added on this page: 40, 42, 45 or 50 cm with the extender, or 80 cm. It is 925 sterling silver, nickel-free and hypoallergenic. Wipe it with a soft cloth and store it dry.
Is there a gold vermeil or two-tone version?
Yes. The same caduceus comes in 18K gold vermeil on a gold vermeil chain, and in a two-tone version with the snakes in gold vermeil and the staff and wings in silver, on a sterling silver chain. Each measures 28 mm and hangs from a single loop. Choose the finish the recipient already wears. The caduceus is the same in all three, only the metal changes.
Will it arrive in time, and what if it isn't right?
DHL Express delivers it free worldwide in 1-5 business days, and we pay the import duties and taxes, so nothing is due at the door. It arrives in a ready-to-gift jewelry box and festive envelope. If it isn't right, our 30-day “Love It or Return It” policy applies.
Is the two-snake staff older than the Greeks?
The image is. A steatite vase made for Gudea, ruler of the Sumerian city-state of Lagash more than 4,000 years ago, shows two snakes wound around a staff. Its inscription dedicates it to Gudea's god Ningishzida, and the image is often read as the god himself. The vase was found at Tello, in today's Iraq, and is now in the Louvre. Whether the Greeks took the image from the Near East is still debated.
Other
In a world where art and science often exist in separate realms, our "Curiosities" collection serves as a harmonious confluence. Drawing inspiration from an eclectic range of scientific phenomena not covered elsewhere. Each piece is meticulously crafted to evoke a sense of wonder. It's jewelry that doesn't just adorn; it educates and fascinates, sparking conversations about the lesser-explored but equally awe-inspiring facets of our universe.
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