ALECTO

The three Furies were created when Cronus castrated Ouranos, taking form from the blood that saturated the ground. Feared for their implacable and merciless demeanor, they are called forth from their dwelling in Tartarus to deliver swift and cruel retribution upon evildoers in the form of madness and wasting disease. Alecto is the Fury who punishes crimes of transgressions against our moral duties. Among these duties, honoring one´s family and hospitality towards strangers were regarded as paramount. The gods could send Alecto to stir the passion of rage in kings and heroes when war and bloodshed were part of the divine plan. Fittingly, the meaning of Alecto is “unceasing.”

Apart from their role as traveling agents of righteous revenge they are also responsible for meting out punishment to the dead in the afterlife. When souls arrive in Hades, they must first appear before three judges. These were the once mortal kings Rhadamanthys, Minos and Aiakos, who were appointed to this duty because of their dedication to law and order during their mortal lives. After the judgment the souls of the dead were handed over to the Furies, who purified the good of their sins and let them pass, but dragged those who are beyond redemption to the pits of damnation in Tartarus.

Created: 2019

Total length: 450 mm

Blade length: 316 mm

Blade width: 40 mm

Weight: 321 g

Materials &Techniques: The guard and pommel are sculpted using a technique invented by the artist’s father and cast in bronze. The grip is bound with fine silver wire and mounted with ferrules of cast sterling silver. The blade is made from 1075 and 15N20 steel in 700 layers that are manipulated for a flame like effect. The blade is carved with a twin set of undulating grooves.