The Early Ages of Jewellery

Article Written By: terry

Jewelry has been part of our culture for thousands of years and first came in to existence from different regions throughout the world. Starting with early Egyptians right through to the Romans and Greek jewelry has been a major part of showing off ones stature and wealth.

Ancient Egyptian jewelry reflects the culture s deep roots in religion. Their gem carvings, or glyptic art, were usually of scarab beetles and other anthropomorphic religious symbols. The glory and power of the Pharaohs were symbolized by their lavish furniture, art and jewelry.

It was not only important for the Egyptian to be wealthy in life, but also in the after-life. While the Egyptians wore simple clothing, they always wore elaborate jewelry. They produced earrings, bracelets, anklets, rings, and beaded necklaces.

Men and women wore jewelry in ancient Egypt for many different reasons. Jewelry was not only worn for aesthetic purposes, or as a symbol of wealth, but also as a protection from evil. These amulets were worn around their necks or strapped to the arm or leg.

For the ancient Egyptians, every color had a symbolic meaning which made jewelry coloration very important. For example, green jewelry symbolized fertility and the success of new crops, while red jewelry was said to satisfy the God Isis need for blood. Similarly, a jewelry motif was equally important and symbolic. The scarab beetle, for example, was one of the most important motifs of the ancient Egyptians. The beetle symbolized rebirth and the generative forces of the rising sun.

Ancient Romans had access to a wide variety of materials and natural resources because of their dominion over Europe and the Mediterranean during the 9th century BC to 5th century AD. Because of this reason, gold, precious gems, glass beads and pearls were used to create earrings, necklaces, pendants, and bracelets. Because Roman clothing was mostly pinned instead of sewn, these large pins became fashionable items and were often elaborately decorated. Similarly the brooch was designed by the Romans to secure clothing. It has endured as a decorative piece of jewelry to this day.

For women in Rome, jewelry was a sign of wealth and status. The stylish upper-class women of Rome usually wore a significant amount of jewelry. Men were known to wear a single ring. After death, the caskets of the wealthy women were decorated with paintings, famously known as the Fayum Mummy Portraits. These paintings featured the deceased adorned with their finest jewelry.

Most of the early Mycenaean Age Greek jewelry was made up of beads that were shaped into shells and animals. It wasn t until 1400 BC, that the Greeks began using precious metals and gems in their jewelry pieces. But by 300 BC, they were experts at incorporating colored gems in their jewelry including pearls, amethyst and emeralds. They were also skilled at carving elaborate patterns into the gems and into ivory.

Early Greek jewelry was easy to distinguish from other cultures. Their unique craftsmanship and simple designs were in contrast to the elaborate styles of other cultures. But as time went by the Greeks began to use more materials and produced a wide range of jewelry with complex designs and techniques. The Hellenistic age (330-27 BC) also introduced new types of jewelry to the Greeks from Far-East and Egypt. The use of gold became increasingly common during this time.

Ancient Greeks produced all types of jewelry including earrings, pendants, pins, bracelets, armbands, thigh bands, rings and wreaths. They enjoyed wearing pendant earrings that were commonly decorated with doves or the gods Eros and Nike. Their necklaces had two main styles: the wide strap chain and the round chain. Many of their motifs were either derived from nature, including plant and animal motifs or the gods and goddesses.

Jewelry during the Hellenistic age (330-27 BC) was passed down from generation to generation. Jewelry was also known to be used as offerings to the gods. Ancient Greek women were usually buried wearing their jewelry. Many of the samples today come from these tombs.

About the Author

Terry Metcalfe - JP Diamonds specialists in diamond rings, eternity rings and stunning hand crafted engagement rings.

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