jew·el·ry: jewels; especially : objects of precious metal often set with gems and worn for personal adornment
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| Brown Jade Earrings |
Man has been adorning itself with jewelry for centuries now. Currently we wear jewelry for aesthetic purposes, but the wearing of jewels did not quite start out that way. Jewelery initially was worn as symbols of wealth, power, authority, wards of evil, and victory in battle. Evidence of jewelry has been dated as far back as Cro-Magnon! The Cro-Magnon period was about 40,000 years ago! Jewels from that period were made from items found from the earth such as shell, bones, animal tusks, and even pearls. (I wonder if this could be the reason I love pearls! They are timeless!!)
This is a necklace that has been reconstructed of a period Cro-Magnon piece. (Information courtesy of http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/behavior/cro-magnon-shell-bead-necklace)
After this period, jewelry making became more precise and both men and women wore jewelry. However in Egypt, jewelry was only worn by the very, very wealthy. During the time of the Greeks, men only wore jewelry has a means to hold up their clothes and/or rings on the fingers. Women began wearing jewelry for beauty and to ward off the evil eye.
During the Middle Ages, the Celts, the Merovingian, and the Byzantine set themselves apart with their jewelry making skills. The Celts focused on distinct patterns, the Merovingians focused on pearls, glass paste, bronze, and amber, while the Byzantine focused on gold leaf. Examples of each style can be seen below.
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| Celtic Tourque, Original Period Piece |
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| Byzantine Jewelry |
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| Merovingian Jewelry |
Jewelry styles and trends continue to change and reform. One thing remains the same from period to period though....jewelry is still worn as a symbol of wealth and social status.
I hope you enjoyed this brief trip into history! I leave you with a few pieces that incorporate gemstones from the periods above.
Next I will be focusing on the jewels of Africa!
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| Evil Eye Jewelry |
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| Pearl Earrings |
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| Amber Necklace |
Very interesting article. Thanks so much and thanks for including my coin pearl earrings in your post :-)
ReplyDeleteReally excellent post! I adore history in general, it always sucks me in. Specifically when it can capture and relate so well to a topic that is intriguing and to a passion I already have, great job!
ReplyDeleteI recently went to the Pompeii Exhibit (if you ever have the chance GO!) low and behold they had many examples of breathe taking adornments that were preserved in centuries of ash!
Thank you for including my piece along side the current creations that have been inspired by historical adornments!
Super cool to read this!! If you have interest in learning about Turkey and evil eye beads (Nazar Boncuk) please stop over www.sariblue.com
Thanks very much!
Sari <3
Your welcome, both of you! I was glad your pieces fit with the gemstones/era that I was finding!
ReplyDelete