Anubis' Scale

Anubis’ Scale - Sculptural Vessel

Sculpture | 2019
Materials: Aluminium, steel, grey agate, oak wood (varnished)

What does it mean to live with a light heart?

Anubis’ Scale is a sculptural vessel inspired by the Ancient Egyptian story of soul judgment from the Book of the Dead. According to myth, the god Anubis would weigh the heart of the deceased person against a white feather (the feather of Ma’at, goddess of truth). If the heart was lighter, their soul could enter the afterlife. If heavier, it was devoured. Jade first encountered this story as a child on a visit to Egypt, it quickly became a lifelong source of wonder and reflection.

The work fuses symbolic meaning with craftsmanship. The central vessel references the modern symbol of a human heart and its branching vein structure, while its form draws on the traditional Egyptian Canopic jars. It was formed from a single sheet of aluminium using silversmithing techniques, including saw piercing, hand-raising, and finishing. The suspended feather is made from hundreds of grey agate beads threaded onto wire, catching the light to create a subtle shimmer. Together, these elements appear to self-suspend, creating the illusion that the heart is truly lighter than a feather.

Anubis’ Scale offers both aesthetic and moral reflection. It is a meditation on how we live, the choices we make, and the emotional weight we carry. Drawing from ancient myth, the work invites us to consider what it means to live with truth, integrity, and a light heart.

If your heart were weighed today, what would it reveal?

Featured in:

• Jewellery Alert at Radiant Pavilion, Australia (2019).

• Window Walk: Jewellery, Object, Place, Space at Craft Cubed Festival, Australia (2019).

• Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) Jewellery Studio Exhibition at RMIT University, Australia (2019).