The Glaukes (owl in Greek) and the Athena pendants are two sides to the same coin...literally. These two patterns are the obverse and reverse to a Greek tetradrachm which is highly prized among numismatists and is said to be one of the most influential coins of all time. This design was was used between 510 BC and 267 BC. The coin our pendants are molded from dates to sometime during the 5th century BC.
Athena was pictured on the obverse of the Greek tetradrachm (Athena pendant). Athena was supposedly the daughter of Zeus but was also supposedly his first wife. She is noted as the goddess of wisdom and warfare, two qualities ancient Greeks believed to be harmonious and intertwined. She was the patron goddess of Athens, one of the greatest cities in Greek Civilization.
The Athenian Owl pictured on the reverse of the Greek tetradrachm (The Glaukes pendant). The Owl was the attribute of Athena, she was said to take the form of her owl from time to time. The owl pictured on this piece is the Athene noctua also known as the Little Own or the Minerva Owl. The Owl then as today represents wisdom. The letters "AOE" accompanying the Owl on the reverse stand for the Greek letters alpha, theta, and epsilon and means "of the Athenians" denoting the people for whom the coin was made.
