ancient maya

Lilac jade fangs symbolize a person's ability to overcome adversity. According to Maya customs, fangs represent animals of night, and vanquishing them means triumphing over one's darkest fears. Thus, wearing fangs represented channeling the creature's energies and becoming invincible. Known as ya'ax chich to the ancient Maya, jade was regarded as a sacred symbol of life, fertility and power. Zandra Lorena Sajbin showcases the lilac gem in these dramatic earrings.

Green jade fangs symbolize a person's ability to overcome adversity. According to Maya customs, fangs represent animals of night, and vanquishing them means triumphing over one's darkest fears. Thus, wearing the fang represented channeling the creature's energies and becoming invincible. Known as ya'ax chich to the ancient Maya, jade was regarded as a sacred symbol of life, fertility and power. Zandra Lorena Sajbin showcases the dark green gem in these dramatic earrings.

.925 Sterling silver

An ancient Maya legend tells how the gods gave a specific mission to each being they created. But they realized none had been chosen to carry thoughts and desires from one place to another," says Rosa Padillas of Rosa Roja. "So they carved a small piece of jade into a a slender arrowhead, and it became a beautiful hummingbird with iridescent feathers — the x ts'unu'um. Its mission was to carry good thoughts to all human beings, even those who had died.

"Today, if a hummingbird appears in front of you, it is delivering a message of love from someone who is thinking of you. And if we wear the image of a hummingbird, we carry good thoughts and desires to others.

"The hummingbird legend says that we can fly to the six cardinal points of the universe, therefore the hummingbird is the ideal link to transmit thoughts of love, of respect, tolerance and peace to all creatures on the planet."

The talented Mexican artisan reinterprets the legend as a necklace of dramatic beauty. She creates a hummingbird pendant in the pre-Hispanic style, and adds an agate geode representing the hummingbird's nest. It poses on a strand of gray cultured pearls.