Ancient Gemstone Lore
Amethyst The Romans believed amethyst to carry within it temperance and grace, a talisman to ward off drunkenness and the regrets it begets. Prone to rage, fits of lust and...
The Common Cause
The Scarf, 8 Ways
If you are absolutely clueless when it comes to accessories, like I am, you’re going to want to read ahead. To look forward, try looking back. History is steeped with...
Ancient Divination: The Oracle at Delphi
She was called Pythia, high priestess, or Oracle, and she lived at the center of the world. The Greeks thought Delphi to be the omphalos, or “navel” of Gaia, the...
Guest Post: Ariana Sorkin
Two poems, inspired by ancient mythology by Ariana Sorkin: "Every Goddess" It was as if she was every goddess With features from each one Although she wasn’t flawless She never...
Artemisia Gentileschi: Artist, Muse, Huntress
I met Caravaggio in Italy. He lives on in galleries and museums, haunting the corridors lined with his works, in those deep shadows and in the light draped over the...
Classical Sexism and Some Thoughts on the Death of the Author
“The Death of the Author” refers to a 1967 essay of the same name by French literary theorist Roland Barthes. The essay centers around the idea that one can, and...
Iphigenia, Polyxena, and Female Sacrifice in Patriarchal Structures
When we think of the women of the Trojan war, we think of Helen, maybe of Hecuba and Andromache. We think of women deprived of their agency, watching behind the...
Rococo Art, Briefly
I love autumn, but I am loath to let go of the pleasures that come with the summertime. The heat of the afternoon allows for little more than leisure, lounging...
Historical Jewelry: The Chatelaine
For whatever the reason, women’s clothing has not always had pockets. The tiny, unusable pockets—or, gasp, fake pockets—we find on our pants today are not just a modern problem. If...
Legends of the Thirteenth Zodiac
Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer, is a constellation shrouded in mystery and legend. He is painted across the sky between Scorpius and Sagittarius, best viewed late at night in the summertime....
Gemstone Lore: Birthstones
You might be aware of your own birthstone, perhaps those of your loved ones—but did you know that the history of birth stones reaches back thousands of years, and has...
Time and Oysters: My Take on Hot Pearl Summer
I don’t think there is anything as timeless and elegant as a string of pearls. Just the phrase may conjure up images of the effortless sophistication of Michelle Obama, or...
The Golden Light of Evening
Life is not back to normal, but no one is surprised. The days are long, sometimes too long, but the months are short and fleeting. Often I feel as though...
History of Jewelry: Middle East
Archeologists found a single pearl and gold earring in Bahrain, an island in the Persian gulf. It was estimated to be around 4,000 years old—one of the oldest ever found....
Eternal Love: Baucis and Philemon
To wrap up our unofficial Tragic Romance Month, I give you the story of tenderhearted Baucis and good-natured Philemon. This story is a look inside tradition, social connection, and pragma,...
Niulang and Zhinu, the Oxherd and the Weaver
There are many variations on this 2600 year old Chinese folk legend, including Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Indian versions, but here is the one I know. Seven sister goddesses were...