18 carat gold Medusa pendant c.1900.
1.5 by 1.2 cms.
This unusual little Medusa mask relates to The Order of the Gorgon's Head , a secret society at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, founded 1896 to ‘promote friendship, goodwill and fellowship’ among members in their junior, senior, or graduate years. The society is known for its secret meetings at the Gorgon's Head Lodge, and has a rich history intertwined with other UNC secret societies. 
A rare piece of American history.