Sky Burial Vulture reverse intaglio necklace

I've purposefully been on this stone carving tear because, while creating a recognisable form is one thing, being confident enough in my hand-and-wrist cooperation that I can start communicating ideas beyond "a vulture" is really going to open the door to what I can say on these micro canvases.

I ran across a depiction of a Tibetan sky burial and was awed at the chosen detail- not that you could necessarily make out testicles or an eyeball outside of a body, but that they were chosen to form part of the broader picture at all. I'd put money on Westerners modestly swapping either of these soft parts for say, a toe. Golly, afterall, you could continue to live without one of those, and you don’t have to have a witness present before you show it to your doctor.

I made a sketch, wondering how small I could get it. Then I took it to stone. As it turns out: I could reduce it quite a lot. I'm really happy with this one.

Yeah, it's a vulture, but it's also a funeral rite and an eyeball and a high altitude burial.

Red jasper, crazy lace agate and garnets were the natural choice for beads, because how can we have this suggestion of innards without the colours of blood, fat and bone?

This piece is completely one-of-a-kind.

Details:

• Material: 925 Sterling Silver and quartz

• Pendant Dimensions: Approx. 22mm tall x 18mm wide including the bale

• Necklace: 43cm (18″) jasper, garnet and agate

• Origin: Handcrafted and produced in the UK 

All of my gemstones are responsibly sourced from the same, reliable gemologist who visits sites and factories to ensure quality and authenticity, as well as safe, fair conditions of employment.

Made in England