Some of the most terrifying monsters in Greek mythology were the Gorgons - three monstrous sisters named Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. They were hideous creatures often depicted as having sharp claws, the tusks of boars, scaly skin, and hair made of writhing venomous snakes. They were so horrific to behold, that even a mere glimpse of one would turn the beholder to stone!
Design Details
This brooch has a diameter of 2” (50 mm) and is available in bronze and sterling silver. It features a sturdy pin, strong enough to hold any garment.
Historical Inspiration
Gorgons were quite popular in both Greek writing and art. Medusa is the most famous of the three, and some later legends say she was originally a beautiful woman with golden hair. But after she was seduced by Poseidon in a temple dedicated to Athena, Athena cursed her and turned her beautiful hair into snakes! Medusa was eventually slain by the Greek hero Perseus, who entered her lair armed with a scyour from Hermes and a mirrored shield from Athena. He is able to see Medusa without harm by viewing her reflection in the shield, and in that way he was able to cut her head off with the scyour. He kept her head in a bag, and was able to pull it out and use it as a powerful weapon against his enemies. For even in death, Medusa still had the power to turn any who looked upon her face into stone.
The Greeks believed the Gorgon head to be a powerful and potent symbol, capable of protecting the wearer and warding off evil. Depictions of Gorgon heads were often carved in stone on buildings, painted on shields, worked into armor, and crafted in metal as amulets and brooches. In the Iliad, Homer describes Aegis, Athena's magical shield, as having a Gorgon face (or perhaps the actual head of Medusa) in its center. He also describes Agamemnon similarly having a Gorgon on his shield.
