The names of the two spine pieces are..."Life and Death VZ13A", this is the one that is supported on the large end with a pelvic element. "Life and Death VZ13B" is supported with a rough forged steel ball on the large end and is mounted on an elliptically derived dark piece of green granite with a large beveled edge. Each piece has 13 different "premium" animal species and is lined up in the shape of a reclining spine supported by a hand forged steel armature. Each animal is lined up in order from the largest to the smallest with the spine pointing exactly up. Each sphere floats above the spine and the spacing between the spheres is very tight and is in direct proportion to the size of the sphere. The glass elements with their mysterious and almost inexplicable realization represents the life force. The iron element, being more of this earth with it's obvious hammered texture, represents the inanimate or the bones of the living. The concept is that death supports life in that, each living creature on this earth owes it's existence to the thousands of generations that have come before. The existing life is but a thin veneer and is the heritage passed on by the deceased. Death cannot be achieved without life, you cannot have one with out the other. ---Mark Mark has been fiddling and pondering these animal skin marbles for the past 15 years. The graphics, sizes and colors have all been tuned and adjusted as to their relationship to each other. The spine pieces are a comprehensive presentation of all these complicated relationships and for the first time makes it all apparent and valid. Ruth