A small, yet particularly distinctive jewel, a gold earring in the shape of a rooster, came to light in 1994–1995 at the site “Melissia” in Aiginio, Pieria. The discovery was prompted by the construction works for the Thessaloniki–Katerini national road, which led to the identification and excavation of an ancient cemetery by the then 16th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities. The earring (inv. no. Που 1095) was found in the pit grave of a young girl, which belonged to a cluster of graves containing particularly rich finds, dated to the late 4th and early 3rd centuries BC. The earring, more specifically, dates to 300–275 BC and constitutes an elegant example of early Hellenistic goldsmithing. It is made of two thin sheets of gold, which were formed by pressing into a recessed mould and then joined together. Using a chisel, the goldsmith rendered the details of the rooster in low relief –the plumage, the abundant tail, the crest, and the eyes– lending the figure vitality and plasticity.A fine wire hook is soldered onto the back of the bird, by means of which the earring was attached to the earlobe. At the base of the hook are two small wire spirals, each with a central granule, probably representing the bird’s wings in a schematic manner. This carefully crafted detail highlights the skill of the artisan and the attention devoted to the creation of the jewel. Bird-shaped earrings were particularly popular in antiquity. Most, however, depict doves or water birds. The rooster, although a beloved animal with rich symbolic associations in the ancient world, appears much more rarely in goldsmithing, making the earring from Aiginio a particularly interesting and rare find. In the ancient world and in art, the rooster possessed multifaceted symbolism. Its call announcing the sunrise, its imposing presence, and its combative nature associated with life, health, coming of age, strength, competitive spirit, love, and marriage. At the same time, its connection with the cycle of day and night endowed it with chthonic dimensions, linking it with the world of the dead and beliefs concerning the afterlife.It is within this symbolic framework that the presence of this jewel as a funerary offering in the grave of a young girl should be understood. The earring was not found around the head, as would be expected for an ornament worn on the ear, but between the thighs of the deceased child. Furthermore, it was found individually and not as part of a pair, as is usually the case with earrings. These elements may suggest that the jewel did not serve exclusively as a decorative personal item but may also have had an apotropaic or protective role. Its deposition in the grave was possibly connected with the wish of the child’s relatives to ensure her protection in her new, posthumous existence. The protective character of the jewel is further reinforced by its material, gold, which was regarded as imperishable and associated with permanence and eternity.The gold earring Πυ 1095 is one of a total of 21 selected antiquities representing the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki in the temporary exhibition “Art in Gold. Jewellery in Hellenistic Times” in China (Shaanxi History Museum, Xi’an, and Guangdong Museum, Guangzhou, June 2026 – July 2027). * From the song “To Petinari” (“The Little Rooster”), performed by Rena Vlachopoulou, lyrics by Alekos Sakellarios, music by Giorgos Katsaros.