Pendant Memento Mori Red Corallum Rubrum, Italy, 18th Century © Bernardo Antichita

The pendant, dated to the 18th century, is made of prestigious Rubrum coral, a variety distinguished by its vibrant red color. The pendant, depicting a skull, can be interpreted as a memento mori, a symbolic object that invites awareness of human emptiness and fragility. Memento mori spread from the Medieval and Renaissance periods, in the form of sculptures or paintings, with the aim of recalling the transience of life and, consequently, inviting people to live wisely and virtuously. The memento mori, of which the skull was the main symbol, served as an amulet with a meditative value that also recalled the preciousness of time and life. In this case, the skull, engraved in coral with great sculptural effectiveness, is equipped with a pin in which a ring is set that allows it to be easily worn.