Bastet Cat Charm Earrings in Sterling Silver or Antique Bronze

These are a pair of handmade 3D Bastet cat charm earrings made with either .925 sterling silver or antique bronze. The charms are 1.5cm long and 0.8cm wide. The ear wire is made in same material as the charms. The charms are a tiny 3D Bastet and great to wear every day. I can also make these in gold on order, so contact me for an estimate for the costs.

The charms are based on the ones I saw on a necklace at the Eternal Egypt exhibit that was here a few years ago that inspired these, as well many other pieces.

Bastet was worshiped in Bubastis in Lower Egypt, and was depicted as a cat, representing a gentler aspect of the protector goddess Skemet. As protector of Lower Egypt, she was seen as defender of the king, and consequently of the sun god, Ra. Bastet was also a goddess of Goddess of protection, cats, perfume/ointments, fertility, children, music, the arts, and warfare, pregnancy and childbirth, possibly because of the fertility of the domestic cat.

Domestic cats were increasingly worshiped and considered sacred. When they died, they were embalmed, coffined and buried in cat cemeteries. The domestic cat was regarded as living incarnation of Bastet who protects the household against vermin such as mice, rats (which threatened key food supplies), and snakes—especially cobras. Cats in ancient Egypt were highly revered and the personification of Bastet. Cats of royalty were, in some instances, known to be dressed in golden jewelry and were allowed to eat from the plates of their owners.

Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925.

Bronze is an alloy that consists of a mixture of approximately 90% copper and 10% tin. Producing bronze is a less toxic process than producing brass as brass is a combination of copper and zinc, and the manufacturing process often produces zinc oxide which is toxic.

Because bronze contains copper, it can turn your skin green whether you have an allergy or not. Bronze and copper turn your skin green because when the copper reacts with your sweat and the acids from your skin, it produces copper chloride. Copper chloride is a green substance that then rubs off on your skin. If you are prone to sweating, your bronze jewelry will definitely turn your skin green. This chemical reaction can also be prevented by painting any part of the jewelry that comes in contact with your skin with clear nail polish or clear acrylic enamel.