Vintage Bronze Memento Mori Skull Medal
Product Details
This is a memento mori, a skull worn to keep the shortness of life in mind. The outline is cut by hand and left irregular, the eye sockets pierced clean through, a row of blocky teeth sitting below a triangular nose opening. Around the sockets and along the edges the metal is chased with crescents, teardrops and comb-like strokes, and across the brow a small standing figure with outstretched arms is set between two rosettes.
Remember your death: the phrase sounds grim and is meant as the opposite. Christians have carried skulls in ivory, silver and bronze since the Middle Ages, not to brood on the end but to keep the day honest and hold the important things in their real order. The figure with open arms above the brow answers the skull beneath it, which is the whole argument of the piece made in one small object. The hand-cut outline and chased marks give it the character of a folk charm rather than a workshop medal.
The memento mori skull was faithfully reproduced from an antique original and cast in the USA using a traditional fine-detail casting process that preserves its vintage character.
- Made in the USA
- Artisan-cast from an antique original
- Finished by hand, so every piece is subtly unique.
- Buy the medal alone, or add an optional chain or cord necklace
- Add a cord or chain to have it arrive assembled and ready to wear
- Arrives in a deluxe velour jewelry box
Product Details
This is a memento mori, a skull worn to keep the shortness of life in mind. The outline is cut by hand and left irregular, the eye sockets pierced clean through, a row of blocky teeth sitting below a triangular nose opening. Around the sockets and along the edges the metal is chased with crescents, teardrops and comb-like strokes, and across the brow a small standing figure with outstretched arms is set between two rosettes.
Remember your death: the phrase sounds grim and is meant as the opposite. Christians have carried skulls in ivory, silver and bronze since the Middle Ages, not to brood on the end but to keep the day honest and hold the important things in their real order. The figure with open arms above the brow answers the skull beneath it, which is the whole argument of the piece made in one small object. The hand-cut outline and chased marks give it the character of a folk charm rather than a workshop medal.
The memento mori skull was faithfully reproduced from an antique original and cast in the USA using a traditional fine-detail casting process that preserves its vintage character.
- Made in the USA
- Artisan-cast from an antique original
- Finished by hand, so every piece is subtly unique.
- Buy the medal alone, or add an optional chain or cord necklace
- Add a cord or chain to have it arrive assembled and ready to wear
- Arrives in a deluxe velour jewelry box
