2012: Aztec Emergence - Necklace Cast In Beautiful Golden Apricot Crystal

Golden-Apricot Aztec Emergence: Basic description: This is an elegant jewelry set featuring a necklace with a handmade, cast-crystal Aztec-motif pendant and matching earrings. Creation: This crystal pendant was cast with shades of gold, and apricot leaded glass (47% lead, to be exact). Once it emerged from the kiln, the edges were ground and then the pendant was polished with our own Hibri Glass-developed procedure. Even though this pendant has a lot of fine detail, we are able to make each inch of it sparkle. Once we are satisfied with its sparklyness, the pendant is gilt on the back with 23kT gold leaf. The Hibri Glass tag is then embedded in a shatter-resistant enamel coating. Strung with: Watermelon Agate, Golden Coral, 14/20 Gold-Filled Beads Earrings: Citrine, Cherry Quartz, and 14/20 Gold-Filled Spacers dangling from 14/20 Gold-Filled Ear Wires Cultural Significance: This pendant has been named "2012: Aztec Emergence" because it is a motif borrowed from the Aztec Calendar. In order to understand the basic significance, it should be explained that according to the Aztec worldview, there were many gods, who had given rise to four worlds, or "suns" previous to the present universe. Each of the previous worlds and its inhabitants had been created, and then destroyed by the catastrophic actions of leading deities. The present world we find ourselves in is considered the "fifth sun," and the Aztecs saw themselves as "the People of the Sun," whose divine duty is was to provide offerings of blood and hearts (often human) in order to keep the sun from disappearing from the heavens. As such, the sun deity was the primary deity, said to be constantly battling the god of night. The sun god and the god of night were angered by the constant struggle between them, so they dressed themselves up within mythic and celestial serpents known as the Xiucoatls, and this added to their strength and authority. The long bodies of the Xiucoatls wrap around the outer edge of the calendar, containing all of the chronological signs, indicating that everything occurs in the universe during the day and the night. Nevertheless, at some point, the gods emerge from their disguises, and this is the moment symbolized by this pendant! Two faces of the gods can be seen emerging from their serpent-suits at the bottom of the pendant. What might be interpreted as hair on their foreheads is actually intended to depict the teeth and fangs of the mythic serpents, "like a fantastic dragon with open gullet," peeling back into what seem like regal crowns. December 21st, 2012 has been calculated as the completion of a "great cycle" since the creation date of the current "fifth sun." Wear one while you can!