The History of Jewelry from Egypt

Ancient Egyptians are very well known all over thehigh representatives of the ancient Egypt took to the
world for their remarkable jewelry, especially the onestomb a large series of jewelry pieces like crowns,
discovered from the period of the Middle kingdom'swreaths, rings, ear-rings and imposing necklaces, which
reign. Egyptians started manufacturing jewelry duringwere all placed on their mummified bodies. As a
the Badari and Naqada eras from natural materials,particularity, the vest that ancient Egyptians used to
such as stones, wood, and then becoming morewore around their chest, has not been seen anywhere
sophisticated, made of pealed bones or braches, andelse in other ancient civilizations. It was made of pure
starting to paint them with various substances. Theirgold, and sometimes surrounded with other precious
purpose was primarily religious and symbolic, oftenstones. Ancient Egyptians used to make the vest
being a bit extravagant and were being worn byeven before the gold era, making it from other
women and men alike. The most common symbol thatmaterials that they used to color in golden shades to
was found from the ancients is the "Ankh" which wasmake it look like gold.
meant to represent eternal life. Some of the otherAround Christianity period, and the time that followed,
symbols include the lotus flower, the falcon and themost jewelry were made of cheaper materials, but all
human eye, representing the healing process.incrusted with Christian symbols such as crosses,
The art of jewelry-making started to flourish with thepigeons, a branch leaf, and the ancient Ankh sign. After
start of the Middle Kingdom, when pharaohs decidedthe arrival of Islam in Egypt, men were prohibited from
to express themselves better through gold objects.wearing jewelry, especially ones made of gold.
Egyptians started to master the technical methods ofHowever, they were allowed to wear silver ones. Not
cutting semiprecious and precious stones with a sleeka lot of the ancient jewelries were recovered, since
accuracy. Because of the regular missions to Nubianthe artifacts were brutally ravished by thieves and the
regions as well as Eastern Desert ones, Egyptiansamount of gold from the ancient tombs was stolen.
became more and more sophisticated in stoneStill, what remained are true works of art and they are
sculpturing, bringing from these regions not only gold,cherished at their real value, as should.
but silver, turquoise and agate as well. Pharaohs and