The first true examples we have of Ancient Greek jewelry utilize beads shaped in the form of various animals and shells. Around–00 BC the Greeks started to incorporate gold and gemstones into their jewelry designs. By the year 300 BC the Greeks had ventured into the area of colored jewelry utilizing emeralds, amethysts, and pearls. The Greeks also made cameos from a striped brown pink and cream agate stone known as the Indian Sardonyx. Greek jewelry started off with some simple designs (when compared to other cultures of the time) but as time progressed, the designs grew increasingly more complex with varying materials.
The people of Ancient Greece did not wear jewelry in their daily lives. It was worn during special events, occasions, or public appearances. A common gift for women, it was displayed to show off not only their incredible beauty, but also their social status and tremendous wealth. It was thought that jewelry had mystical powers. Many believed that it could ward off the “Evil Eye” (a look that one person could send your way that would bring you injury or other forms of bad luck). Most of the Greek jewelry of this time period was made from (1) silver, (2) gold, (3) ivory, (4) gemstones, (5) clay, and (6) bronze.
The Ancient Greeks developed two types of jewelry. These types were: (1) cast jewelry pieces and (2) those that were formulated by hammering out sheet metal. We have only a few examples of these cast jewelry pieces available today. They were made by casting the metal onto two moulds made out of either clay or stone. These two moulds were joined together with wax, and molten metal was poured into the center of the mould. This technique had been passed down since the Ancient Bronze Age. Jewelry made from hammering sheet metal was much more common. Sheet metal was hammered to the desired thickness, and then soldered together.
The Ancient Romans were known for a number of things, but their jewelry is not one of them. They were very fond of brooches, an item which they utilized to to hold their clothing together. As the Roman Empire was vast and huge at the time, they took full advantage of it, importing various materials from the far-flung reaches under their control. In the early years they made a lot of their jewelry out of glass beads and pearls, but in later years they incorporated bone, bronze, and gold. Imported sapphires from Sri Lanka were also popular. They also used Indian diamonds, emeralds, and amber, as well as Sri Lankan sapphires.
Following in the tradition of their brothers the Ancient Greeks, they too believed that jewelry could be used to ward off the “Evil Eye” that might be cast from one’s enemies. It was common for women to wear jewelry all over their bodies, but men would usually only wear a ring on the finger. While it was expected that Roman men would wear a ring on the finger, the number of rings, and number of fingers used, was left up to individual preference.
Learn more about Greek and Roman Jewelry. Stop by Betsy Johnson’s site where you can find out all about beautiful heart jewelry and what it can do for you.
{ Comments on this entry are closed }