Introducing the Križ Pendant, a handcrafted piece inspired by križ, the cross symbol of sicanje — the hand-poke tattoo tradition of Croatia and Bosnia. Long before it marked the Christian faith, križ stood for the four cardinal points — north, east, south, west — and the four elements: fire, air, earth, water. This is a talisman for whoever carries both halves of that history at once. Its most notable feature: the cross's four arms carved as branching, fir-tipped tips — the same jelica language used elsewhere in Loza — with 23.5K gold set behind one quadrant.

Carved in wax and cast by the lost-wax method in recycled sterling silver, the cross is carved with branching, needle-like arms. 23.5K gold is laid on by hand using Keum-boo behind one quadrant, a single field of warmth against the oxidized silver and black linework. No two are exactly alike.

Three of these are already finished and ready to ship — order now and it leaves the bench in 1 to 3 business days. Once those three sell, new orders return to the usual made-to-order timeline. Part of Loza, a small collection drawn from Slavic and Croatian folk symbolism.

Key Features:

• Križ (Cross) Motif – Four branching, fir-tipped arms marking the cardinal points, carved in oxidized silver.
• Layered Meaning – Once the four directions and four elements; kept as a symbol of Catholic faith after forced conversion, the old belief hidden inside the new one.
• A History of Protection – Worn through the Ottoman invasions, 15th to 19th century, marking and protecting girls and women from being taken.
• 23.5K Gold Keum-boo Accent – Fine gold fused to silver by hand, set behind one quadrant of the cross.
• Lost-Wax Cast – Carved first in wax, then cast in recycled sterling silver.
• Cord of Choice – Strung on recycled silk ribbon (crimson or black-violet, as pictured), black leather, or sterling chain.

Material & Dimensions:

• Material: Recycled sterling silver with 23.5K gold Keum-boo accent
• Face Size: [confirm exact measurement]
• Cord: Recycled silk ribbon (crimson or black-violet), black leather, or sterling chain — specify at checkout

A Talisman of the Four Directions

When conversion was forced on the villages, women kept wearing križ — it read as their new faith while the old one stayed alive underneath it. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, the same symbol marked and protected girls and women from being taken during the Ottoman invasions. Worn close, it's two faiths and one act of protection, carried on the same four arms.

Ready to ship – three in stock, each individually crafted and unique to you.