Collection II · Black Oxidised
The Sacred Shadows
Where the beauty of ancient stone meets the artistry of contemporary adornment.
Explore the collection01 · The story
Stone that wears jewellery
Inspired by the ancient stone temples of the Hoysalas
Around 1121 CE, in Dorasamudra, the capital of the Hoysala kings, work began on the Hoysaleswara Temple, a twin-shrined temple dedicated to Shiva. Its sculptors worked in soapstone. The stone is soft when freshly quarried and hardens as it ages, which allowed carving of astonishing fineness.
Look closely at the gods and dancers on its walls and you will see that they are dressed in jewellery: layered necklaces, jewelled girdles, armlets and anklets, all carved in stone so finely that you can count the beads. The city was later sacked and became known as Halebidu, the old city, but the carvings survived. In 2023 the temple was inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas.
02 · The visual world
The Dark Heritage
Charcoal black
Antique silver
Muted grey
Soapstone
- Textures
- Polished soapstone, layered relief and the sharp contrast between deep shadow and lit edges.
- Light & photography
- Dark backgrounds and a single directional light, so the carving appears out of the shadow.
03 · The collection
The Sacred Shadows
0 pieces
Being handcrafted now
The first pieces of The Sacred Shadows are on their way from the workshop. Explore the rest of the store in the meantime.
Shop all jewellery04 · The symbolism
What the motifs mean
Elephants
The lowest frieze is a procession of elephants, commonly read as strength and stability, carrying the weight of the temple.
Lions and horses
The bands above add lions, usually read as courage, and horses, for speed and movement.
Creeper scrolls
Endless scrolling vines run between the bands, a long-standing motif for abundance and the continuity of life.
Sala and the tiger
The Hoysala emblem shows Sala, the dynasty's legendary founder, fighting a tiger to protect his teacher.
05 · The craftsmanship
Black Oxidised is about contrast. The darkest recesses make the polished relief appear to glow.
1
Deep relief
Motifs are cast or chased with layered depth, inspired by the stacked friezes of the temple wall.
2
Full oxidising
The whole piece is taken to a deep charcoal black in a sulphur-based solution.
3
Relief polishing
The highest surfaces are hand-polished back to antique silver while the shadows remain black.
4
Finishing
Edges are softened and every piece is checked by hand so the detail stays crisp.
Collection III · Silver Oxidised
The Silver Chronicles
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Carved figures: Pavanaja, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Frieze bands: Ms Sarah Welch, CC0