Egyptian Asps

Watching the incredibly glamorous and over-the-top Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor, sparked something in my brain. The costumes! The culture! The love story! Though much of it was 1960s Hollywood applying its shiny veneer to history, I wanted to know more about this woman, Egypt’s final ruler, and all the stories we still tell about her.

Image credits, clockwise from top left: Snake rings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection; Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra; Snake bracelet from Phoenix Ancient Art’s collection; Detail of “Death of Cleopatra” by Francesco Cozza; Illustration from John Edwards Holbrook’s “North American Herpetology”

Most tragically, her final story is one of star-crossed lovers meeting their end. She and Marc Antony, co-ruler of the Roman empire back in 30 BC, fell in love and joined forces against Octavian, Rome’s other co-ruler and eventual emperor. When Octavian’s forces defeated Marc Antony’s in a civil war, she and Marc Antony made a pact to end their lives instead of submitting to a new ruler. Marc Antony acted first, and upon hearing the news Cleopatra locked herself in a tomb with her two maids, using an asp’s poisonous bite to end her life.

Painters, sculptors, and playwrights have depicted Cleopatra’s life, with asps prominently featured every time. These snakes are especially meaningful considering how important they were in ancient Egyptian culture, represented by the goddess Wadjet and symbolizing a pharaoh’s divine authority. Worn as talismans, they were said to grant protection and health. Snakes have been important in other cultures, too, featured in creation myths, symbolizing rebirth and new beginnings, and said to bring good luck.

Left: Asp Bangles and Asp Rings from our Egyptian Asps Collection; Right: Snake bracelet from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, photo by Kenneth Garrett

What started as an obsession with Cleopatra turned into an urge to make this ancient symbol into modern, wearable amulets. I hope you enjoy wearing these new versions from our mythically-inspired Egyptian Asps collection.

A new summer reading list

It’s heart-breakingly disappointing that it took a string of killings and nation-wide protests for many of us to get a glimpse at what it’s like to be black in America. I’ve been trying to be quiet and just listen — I mean, no one needs to hear my opinion about the Black Lives Matter protests. I haven’t lived the black experience, and amplifying the voices of those who actually have is more important.

A week ago my cousin sent me an article about “mirror books” (where you see characters like you in their pages) vs. “window books” (where you get to see into someone else’s world), and I realized I need a lot more window books in my life.

Here’s a list of books, both fiction and nonfiction, that I want to dive into, and if you feel like you’re in need of horizon-broadening, too, I hope you’ll join me:

a list to start:

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou

“Notes of a Native Son,” by James Baldwin

“How to Be An Antiracist,” by Ibram X. Kendi

“Sula,” by Toni Morrison

“Between the World and Me,” by Ta-Nehisi Coates

“Red at the Bone,” by Jacqueline Woodson

Have you read any books by black or minority authors that you’ve loved? Post them in the comments — I’d love to read and share them, and hopefully we can all become better, more understanding people in the process.

Finding joy

The new Halcott Necklace featuring oyster turquoise.

We’re so deep into this pandemic that it’s hard keeping track of time. Days feel so similar without dinner dates, birthday celebrations, and trips to new places.

Right now I’m leaning hard into surrounding myself with the things that make me happy in order to counter-balance all the not knowing. It’s why our house has has 3 times as many plants as it did in February, why I’m burning candles and incense non-stop, and why all I want are bright, fun colors.

Left: Collage Studs in an oyster turquoise and teal quartz combo; Right: a close up of oyster turquoise

Back before things turned upside down, I discovered a stone called oyster turquoise. I’d never seen it before and instantly fell in love with its cheery color combo, totally unique pattern, and bits of glimmering copper throughout. I’m so glad I decided to get more, because I just finished a new family of jewelry featuring this special stone, and it’s exactly what my soul is craving right now.

We’re all finding ways to cope — for me, it’s too many plants and everything oyster turquoise. I hope you’re finding your own ways to bring joy into your days.

Stay safe, stay sane

Image by Sara Shakeel

---

While so much is uncertain and we’re all feeling a little more anxious these days, here are some ideas for distracting ourselves and making good use of our time: 

1. Buy gift certificates to your favorite restaurants or small businesses; they’re struggling with low foot traffic even though you'd be there IRL spending money if you could.

2. Bake something from scratch or try a complicated dish for dinner — I recommend these thin mint cookies or this delicious eggplant parm.

3. Rearrange a bookshelf so that things feel new, making sure to highlight your favorite objects.

4. Give your jewelry a spring cleaning.

5. Make a list of movies to watch and get started; consider adding “The Eye Has to Travel” about Diana Vreeland or “Donkey Skin” starring Catherine Deneuve.

Good luck, you’ve got this!