Handcrafted 22k gold jewelry inspired by the ancient world

Alexis Menten studying ancient gold jewelry on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Antiquity and Continuity

As a trained archaeologist and goldsmith, I study the jewelry of the ancient Mediterranean—its construction, symbolism, and historical significance—and translate these ancient forms for everyday wear. My work draws on archaeological research and historical goldsmithing techniques practiced for thousands of years. Like the ancient pieces that inspire them, my jewelry is crafted by hand in high-karat gold, layered with meaning, and made to endure.

Find out more about my Process & Materials

Ancient Adornments

  • The Jewelry of Pompeii

    Fragment from the Frieze of the Cupids from the House of the Vettii in ancient Pompeii showing cupids working as goldsmiths

    The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE preserved a remarkable archaeological view into Roman life. Among the objects recovered from Pompeii and Herculaneum is an extraordinary collection of jewelry that was worn by people across Roman society.

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  • The Eternal Allure of Gold

    A gold signet ring shown from the front with an engraved figure of Nike from ancient Greece in the Cleveland Museum of Art

    Civilizations rise and fall, but their gold remains. Unlike most materials of the ancient world, gold survives almost unchanged. This gives us extraordinary insight into ancient civilizations as well as the artistry and craftsmanship of ancient goldsmiths.

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  • The Ancient Art of Handmade Chain

    Ancient Roman gold loop-in-loop chain terminating in snakes’ heads with disc at clasp in the Walters Art Museum

    A chain is a deceptively simple object, a testament to human creativity and craftsmanship. Despite the time, skill, and gold required to produce them, chains were an essential element of ancient jewelry. For more than four millennia they have served as connectors linking jewelry, meaning, and history.

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