Its preciousness, beauty and the protective properties assigned to it have made red coral a popular material for crafting jewelry. An example of this is the extensive collection of coral jewelry of the gynecologist Ümit Bir. It illustrates the exchange between different regions and religions from Morocco to India.
According to myth, the red coral was created when Perseus placed Medusa's head on seagrass and her blood spread throughout the Mediterranean Sea. According to the Metamorphoses by the ancient Roman poet Ovid, the life of the Gorgoness Medusa was marked by sexualized violence, punishment, and ostracism. Today, she is used as a symbol for queer and feminist struggles for liberation, but she is also subject to critical discussion.