Welcome! My name is Maxima and my pronouns are she/her. In the Known World I reside in the Kingdom of Northshield. In the modern world I live on the indigenous land known as Mnisóta Makhóčhe, the lands of the Santee of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ.
This site is dedicated to the study of jewelry, Ancient Rome, history, re-creation, reenactment, fashion, historical sex-workers/courtesans, historical sexuality, women’s rights, resources…
If you have questions, comments, or corrections, or if there is something you would like to see added please send me a message.
Upcoming Classes
Class: Roman Garb (outfits) As Requested
Event: Gimili (Barony of Castel Rouge, Kingdom of Northshield)
Weekend of September 4, 2021
The Latest
#CourtesanMonday (NEW)
Each Monday I’m going to (try) to feature a pre-1600’s courtesan or courtesan topic on my Instagram. I’ll cross post it HERE.
Book Review
A Curious History of Sex by Kate Listner (Click HERE for the full review)
The Tyet
The Tyet (one of its many spellings) translates as the Isis knot, or the girdle of Isis. It is, as you may have suspected, the symbol of Isis or rather Aset, her Egyptian name. Her amulet reaches far back into Egypts past and she may in fact be the longest running mother goddess of all time. The Cult of Isis was very popular in Ancient Rome. And despite attempts to suppress it, the cult remained popular. All were equal in the temple of Isis. Thus making it a favorite for the lower class, slaves, and sex-workers, although people of all social classes followed her. Isis’ followers in Ancient Rome, or perhaps it was just her priestesses, wore a shawl knotted in the front in this fashion of which I have recreated, mostly.
Current Research
Prompted by this fresco from Pompeii of Alexander the Great’s mistress painted as Aphrodite. I’ve devolved into the symbolism and the reasons why anklets are far more mysterious and way more interesting than I thought. Also, why they’ve been mostly omitted from jewelry books.
Ongoing Series
An ongoing multi part series about life in Imperial Rome.
Roman Jewelry
Part I: An Introduction
Part II: Favored Materials & Styles
Part III: Chains
Part IV: Necklaces
More to come…
Getting The Roman Look
Part I: Clothing & Shoes
Part II: Hair & Cosmetics
Part III: Accessories
Recreating Roman Jewelry
Thank you for visiting!