Genuine Ancient Roman coin 3rd century BC Pendant depicting a triskelion with Medusa and ears of corn
• Handmade 100% Made in Italy
• Genuine Roman Bronze Coin 3rd cent. BC
• Bezel material: Sterling Silver 925
$721.00
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An authentic coin from the 3rd century BC has been set in this sterling silver pendant. coming from Panormus, present-day Palermo. The coin depicts a triskelion and, on the reverse, the head of Athena with the Corinthian helmet.
The Triscele is a symbolic figure made up of three legs starting from a common centre, frequent in Greek and Roman coinage and believed to be a symbol, of oriental origin, of the Moon, or more commonly of the Sun or of motion in general. In Sicily it first appears on Syracusan coins of Agathocles (ca. 317-289 BC) then later became the symbol of the island. In this coin, in the center of the triskelion we can see the head of Medusa with ears of wheat between her legs.
The triskele, as a symbol of Sicily, was initially the head of the Gorgon, whose hair is like snakes, from which three legs bent at the knee radiate. The Gorgon is a mythological character, who according to the Greek poet Hesiod was each of the three daughters of Phorcos and Ceto: Medusa (the gorgone par excellence), Stheno (the strong one), Euryale (the spacious one).
Another version of her head is that of a woman, perhaps a goddess, in some cases depicted with wings to indicate the eternal passage of time, surrounded by snakes to indicate wisdom. Ears of wheat were later added to the snakes, signifying the fertility of the island's land (the snakes were replaced with ears of wheat by the Romans to symbolize its status as Rome's "granary").
The triskele appeared on the scene before the Greek colonization of the island, but the Greeks were the first to call it Trinakìa (changed over time to Trinacrìa), from the Greek word: trinacrios, which means treis (three) and akra (headlands), from which also in the Latin triquetra (three vertices). The triskelion was later adopted by the Greeks as a symbol of Trinacria, which remained a synonym for Sicily.
The Triscele is a symbolic figure made up of three legs starting from a common centre, frequent in Greek and Roman coinage and believed to be a symbol, of oriental origin, of the Moon, or more commonly of the Sun or of motion in general. In Sicily it first appears on Syracusan coins of Agathocles (ca. 317-289 BC) then later became the symbol of the island. In this coin, in the center of the triskelion we can see the head of Medusa with ears of wheat between her legs.
The triskele, as a symbol of Sicily, was initially the head of the Gorgon, whose hair is like snakes, from which three legs bent at the knee radiate. The Gorgon is a mythological character, who according to the Greek poet Hesiod was each of the three daughters of Phorcos and Ceto: Medusa (the gorgone par excellence), Stheno (the strong one), Euryale (the spacious one).
Another version of her head is that of a woman, perhaps a goddess, in some cases depicted with wings to indicate the eternal passage of time, surrounded by snakes to indicate wisdom. Ears of wheat were later added to the snakes, signifying the fertility of the island's land (the snakes were replaced with ears of wheat by the Romans to symbolize its status as Rome's "granary").
The triskele appeared on the scene before the Greek colonization of the island, but the Greeks were the first to call it Trinakìa (changed over time to Trinacrìa), from the Greek word: trinacrios, which means treis (three) and akra (headlands), from which also in the Latin triquetra (three vertices). The triskelion was later adopted by the Greeks as a symbol of Trinacria, which remained a synonym for Sicily.