Winged Bastet Pendant in Sterling Silver or Antique Bronze

This winged Bastet pendant is a beautiful piece for anyone who loves this goddess, or just a fan of Egyptian cat pendants! Available in .925 sterling silver or antique bronze, she is based on a pewter pendant someone brought to me to remake in sterling silver. She measures 7cm long with the bail and 4cm wide. The pendant is 1cm deep and hollowed out in the back, which is textured. The bail is cast onto the tip of the tail and the opening is large enough to pass a 5mm wide chain. Large but lightweight, she is quite the statement piece! This pendant is made to order, but believe me, it's worth the wait!

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.