Jewelry 101 – The Ancient Greek and Roman Contributions.
Saturday, 28. November 2009
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.
Jewelry in Ancient Greece was not worn in the daily lives of the people. It was to be worn during special occasions or while on public appearances. It was a common gift, and women often used it to show off their beauty, social status, and degree of wealth. Jewelry was often deemed to have mystical powers. It was thought to provide the wearer with protection from the “Evil Eye” (i.e.: a look by another person that is thought to send injury or bad luck), or other supernatural powers. Most Greek jewelry of the time was made from gold and silver, with gemstones and ivory, clay and bronze utilized as well.
