jewelry

Egyptian Jewelry

The first signs of established jewelry making in Ancient Egypt was around 3,000-5,000 years ago. The Egyptians preferred the luxury, rarity, and workability of gold to other metals. Predynastic Egypt had jewelry in Egypt soon began to symbolize power and religious power in the community. Although wealthy Egyptians in life wore it, they also wore it in death, with jewelry commonly placed among grave goods. In conjunction with gold jewelry, Egyptians used colored glass in place of precious gems. Although the Egyptians had access to gemstones, they preferred the colors they could create in glass to the natural colors of stones. For nearly each gemstone, there was a glass formulation used by the Egyptians to mimic it. The color of the jewelry was very important, as different colors meant different things; the Book of the Dead dictated that the necklace of Isis around a mummy’s neck must be red to satisfy Isis’s need for blood, while green jewelry meant new growth for crops and fertility. Although lapis lazuli and silver had to be imported from beyond the country’s borders, most other materials for jewelry were found in or near Egypt, for example in the Red Sea, where the Egyptians mined Cleopatra's favorite gem, the emerald. Egyptian jewelry predominantly made in large workshops attached to temples or palaces. Egyptian designs were most common in Phoenician jewelry. In addition, ancient Turkish designs found in Persian jewelry suggest that trade between the Middle East and Europe was not uncommon. Women wore elaborate gold and silver pieces that used in ceremonies.