Mormo Sterling Silver Pendant with Ancient Mediterranean Limestone Maskette & Black Opal

This pendant is named after Mormo - the ancient Greek spirit invoked to frighten children, a shapeshifting presence of hollow eyes and undefined form, used in amulets and charms across the Mediterranean as both a ward and a warning. The stone at its center is an authentic ancient maskette carved from pale grey limestone, part of a group of small masks associated with Mediterranean folk, devotional, and apotropaic traditions of the medieval to early modern periods. The face is broad and hollowed - two large shallow eye sockets stare outward, the mouth barely present, mineral accretions settled into every surface like centuries made tangible. A face that is almost not a face. Almost. Such maskettes were carried and worn as personal protective objects across Southern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, their power drawn from ambiguity as much as imagery. Sourced from a private collection, acquired on the art market in the late 20th century. Set in 925 sterling silver plated with black ruthenium and 18K gold, with a natural pear-cut black opal - green and blue fire moving beneath a dark surface, a stone that holds entire worlds inside it. This is a singular edition - handmade by the designer himself with no second copy in existence. For those who are drawn to the face that stares back. PLEASE NOTE: This pendant is made with an authentic ancient artifact and natural gemstones that may exhibit cracks, scratches, and color irregularities - these are not flaws, but marks of authenticity and age. Gemstone colors may appear differently depending on lighting conditions; please refer to the model photo for the most accurate representation.