history of jewelry,gemstones,diamonds,precious metals
History of Jewelry
The word Jewelry is derived from the Latin word
jocale, meaning plaything. The word Jewelry used in modern time
describes any piece of precious metal or gemstone
used to adorn one?s self.
Jewelry in its most basic form has been worn
since the beginning of time, materials used for tools and clothing was one of
the first uses of jewelry. In primitive times
jewelry could have been made from animal teeth, stone, raw metal
shells and wood.
Jewelry has been worn as a symbol of wealth as well as to
protect against harm, ward off evil and heal the sick. Jewelry has
been has been worn on every part of the body and has been made out of every type
of material imaginable.
Egyptian jewelry dates back from about 3,500 ?
5,000 years ago. The precious metal of choice was
Gold. Gold was used exclusively throughout the
thirty one dynasties of rulers in Egyptian times.
Jewelry symbolized the power, glory and religious
dominance of the times.
In ancient Egyptian times gem
carvings in the form of sacred objects were worn for its religious
significance. They would take the form of scared animals
and objects. Jewelry was worn by women and men in life and in
death.
The Egyptians had access to precious gemstones
but they preferred the colors they could create in glass. Each
gemstone or coloration of the gemstone
had very specific meaning. For example the color blue was adored
by ancient Egyptian goddess Isis it symbolized faith.
In Mesopotamia men and women both wore extensive amounts of
jewelry which included ankle bracelets, cylinder
seals and multi strand necklaces. The jewelry of the
Mesopotamians were made of thin gold metal with brightly
colored stones such as lapis and
jasper. The earliest examples of glass beads are
from the Akkad dynasty of Mesopotamia. Rings were commonly worn by
women and children their necklaces were worn by men
and women and also to adorn statues and idols of Gods.
The ancient Greek Jewelry consisted of
beads shaped like shells and animals.
They also mastered the use of colored gemstones such as
amethyst, pearls and emerald in their
jewelry. The Greeks were also the first to use cameos which they
created from a stone called Indian Sardonyx. The Greeks
like to adorn themselves with pendant earrings showing images of doves and Gods.
They also liked to wear gold wreaths on their heads which were
decorated with leaves, flowers and Nikes. During the rule of Alexander the Great
which brought on contacts with other countries and cultures many different types
of jewelry was introduced and started the additional use of semi
precious stones.
Etruscan Jewelry had its own unique look, it
would be made by adding tiny granules of gold to make designs and
create delicate patterns. They also made many jewelry products
with an openwork pattern which meant it had no backing.
The ancient Romans worn a diverse range of
jewelry and used many different types of materials to make their
jewelry. They were particularly found of bronze
which they with glass and gems. The ancient
Romans most common piece of jewelry was the
brooch which they used to secure their clothing. Upper-class Roman
women wore a great deal of jewelry where as the men
usually wore rings. One ring was always worn to use
with was as a seal on important documents and letters.
During the time of the Georgian Era when the
kings of Great Britain in the 18th and 19th
centuries ruled, the jewelry was nothing less then ornate and
huge. Their influence on the jewelry design of the period was the
mood. The style was elaborate, intricate and ornate; they introduced the
fashion of chandelier styles in their
earrings and pendants. Gem stones and
precious gems such as diamonds,
rubies, emeralds and sapphires were in
excess on all of their jewelry pieces.
The Victorian Era was about stated about 1837
to 1901 also known as the romantic era.
The time when Queen Victoria and Prince
Albert wed the emotions and sentimentality set in. The jewelry
was created to include symbols of serpent, grapes,
flowers and birds, making the
jewelry symbolize love and romance. There was jewelry
made which included pieces of hair from a love one or from
one self mounted on mother of pearl and cover by
glass. After the death of Prince Albert the mood changed and the
black onyx began to be the new stone of choice on
jewelry products. Some of the most common jewelry
worn at this time included cameos of carved conch
shell and hard stone agate. The brooches
were also adorned with small enamel portraits painted by artist.
The Late Victorian Period brought a new period after the Queen Victoria?s death.
Life began to creep back into England with the aid of Princess Alexandra a new
attitude of fun and life in the jewelry items. With the expansion
of the British Empire into North Cape, South Africa Alexandra would make her own
era with the endless supply of diamonds.
The Edwardian Period which was about 1900 to
1910 ended the conservative taste of the Victorian Era. The
jewelry pieces where made with femininity and sensuality they were
delicate and stunning. Men?s jewelry also became
fashionable at this time.
The Art Nouveau Period meaning new art brought
designs in jewelry to the modern age the
jewelry was designed with exotic floral,
animals, birds, dragonflies, peacock
feathers which were all incorporated into feminine images.
The Art Deco Period which was during 1920 to
1939 at this time jewelry products were made with gemstones
cut in different geometric shapes and named such as
emerald cut, pentagon, trapezoid,
square cut and triangle. Also
black and white were added to give a bold and striking
look to the jewelry pieces. Diamonds were also set
in Pave? style to give that full sparkling look white
metals were also introduced like platinum, white
gold and stainless steel. |