Pliny's Doves Pendant

This one-of-a-kind necklace is composed of:

• Victorian, 10k solid gold ladies fob charm with a hand carved citrine intaglio seal on the bottom featuring two doves perched on an urn. This fob pendant is paired and hangs from a solid 10k gold watch fob clasp and antique solid 14k gold chain.
  

• This necklace measures a standard 18” on an antique 14K solid gold chain, with the pendant and clasp measuring 1" in height.

THE HISTORY:

Throughout history, doves have been a symbol of gentleness and beauty - they are the animal of Venus (Aphrodite), the goddess of love. Her son Cupid (Eros) has the wings of a dove. Doves have also been ancient symbols of the soul, spirit, or human life force, and represent this in some allegorical and mourning compositions. The Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, is represented as a radiant dove in religious compositions.

Common scenes depicting doves in antique jewelry and art - especially from the 1700-1800s - are known as "Pliny's Doves". The lost original that the depictions are based on come from Pliny the Elder's description of a floor mosaic in his "Natural History" writings:

Pavements are an invention of the Greeks, who also practiced the art of painting them, till they were superseded by mosaics. In this last branch of art the highest excellence has been attained by Sosus who laid at Pergamus the pavement known as the “Asarotos œcos”; from the fact that he there represented in small squares of different colors the remnants of a banquet lying upon the pavement and other things which are usually swept away with the broom, they having all the appearance of being left there by accident. There is a dove also, greatly admired, in the act of drinking and throwing the shadow of its head upon the water; while other birds are to be seen sunning and pluming themselves on the margin of a drinking bowl.