The History Of Ancient Jewellery Part 1

  Part 1 – Ancient Jewellery  In The Time Before Christ (BC)

Ancient jewellery has been much desired, admired and worshiped since the beginning of time.  For many centuries ancient jewellery had been made of precious metals with alloys of nearly every metal known used in its manufacture. Copper, bronze and gold were common in the Ancient African and Roman times, but most modern fine pieces are made of sterling silver, gold, white gold, platinum, palladium or titanium. 

The oldest sign of ancient jewellery been worn was discovered in an Archaeological dig in Morocco where shell beads were found. These were decorative objects probably worn as amulets or magic charms. They date back to around circa 110.000 BC.   

 

The next significant find were drilled shells found in Israel and Algeria dating around circa  98.000 BC and in South Africa around circa 73.000BC. These amulets are in the form of drilled shells and decorative sea shell beads and it is amazing to think that some date back over 100,000 years BC. 

The next evidence of ancient jewellery identified were beads made from bone and animal teeth, dating back to about 38.000 BC which were found in France. Following that, fossilized shells and ivory beads dating to 28.000 BC were found in the East Gravettian culture, located in modern Czech Republic.

At about the time the first animals were domesticated and the wheel was invented the Thracian civilization were the first to produce objects made from gold. Dated to 4400 BC these are the oldest golden objects known to exist. Alluvial gold, which is found in creeks and streams, was first used around 4000 BC by the Badarian Culture in Egypt. The Egyptians also were the first to produce glazed steatite beads and other forms of ancient jewellery designs based on scarab beetles, scrolls, winged birds, tigers, jackals and antelopes. Popular gemstones of that time were carnelian, feldspar, amethyst, chalcedony, lapis lazuli and turquoise.

This followed the import of obsidian into Southern Egypt from Ethiopia which was used for tools around circa 3600BC. Ancient jewellery during this period was made of gold, lapis, and ivory. The Naqada culture was the first to start using symbols which eventually developed into Egyptian hieroglyphics around circa 3500 BC. By circa 3000BC carnelian, turquoise and amazonite were also used by the Egyptians in ancient jewellery production. 

At the same time as the Egyptians were discovering these different methods of producing ancient jewellery, jade was used in China to make weapons and ornaments. this dragon was 4th or 3rd century BC.

 

  

The use of copper between 5000- 30 BC started a new era in the type of ancient jewellery produced.

The first known instance of glass production took place in Syria around circa 2800BC, though it was until 1500BC that it begins to be shaped while molten –initially it was worked like stone.

In circa 2750 – 1200 BC we see the production of a wide range of ancient jewellery by the Mesopotamia which was based on the design of lives, grapes, cones and spirals. They used agate, lapis, jasper and carnelian in the production of this ancient jewellery.

 The Bronze Age circa 2700BC saw the introduction of jet beads made from fossilised wood.

The casting of gold was first performed by the Egyptians around 2500BC and the first example of granulation was discovered in Iraq around the same time. Granulation is a process that causes very small gold beads to adhere to the surface metal, through heat, with no apparent solder. Granulation can be applied in designs or lines to form textures or designs. This has been a popular way to decorate and texture ancient jewellery. Sheet gold was first produce by the Chavín culture in 1230BC. 

Between 1400 - 30BC – Greek ancient jewellery was made in the style of animals and shells and was infused with the amethysts, pearls, chalcedony, cornelian, garnet and emeralds. The Greeks started making intaglios and cameos around 1100 BC and these techniques did not spread to the east until the Alexander the Great's conquests.

Around 800BC diamonds were discovered in India but not exported until around 300-400 BC. Sapphires were first used 700 BC by the Etruscans. The Etruscans were also the first to use amber around 600 BC.

The earliest sign of necklaces appeared during 700BC with the use of beaded wire forming “straps”  which were  found in Nimrud (Iraq) 

During 500 BC - 400 AD -the Romans preferred seal rings, brooches, amulets and talismans that were infused with the designs of animals and coiling snakes. Most popular gemstones were sapphires, emeralds, pearls, amber, garnets, jet and diamonds. The first documented use of red garnets and green emeralds was in 300 BC Greeks. Following this in 200 BC was peridot and tourmaline. Red and blue Spinel was first used around 100 BC.