A snake with its tail in its mouth forming an endless circle is also known as an ouroboros. It is a symbol of love everlasting, and was a favorite jewelry motif of the early 19th century. In Sicily, where ancient Greek, Byzantine, and Islamic goldworking legacies intersected, snake-form jewelry flourished. In these sleeper-style hoops, the softly modeled heads and turned-up snouts, high-carat gold and absence of gemstones are typical of Southern Italian work. In that region, symbolism mattered more than anatomical realism.
MATERIALS: 18k gold (tests)
AGE: c. 1840
CONDITION: Very good
SIZE: 1" x 7/8"