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Brief
History of Jewelry
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Students of the natural sciences are in agreement
when they say that of all the creatures in the
animal kingdom, only humans seek to adorn
themselves. Even as far in the past as primitive
man, jewelry took on this role in a variety of
forms.. Small objects were of primary importance,
with some examples being found in the early
Neolithic strata of the caverns in mas d’avil. It
was here that many pierces stags’ teeth were
discovered, often still in the shape of a necklace
with its holding twine long since
disintegrated. (Jewelry objects have now been found
in pre-historic Africa that date back about 75,000
years.) |
Closely
related to the human need for ornamentation was the use of
jewelry as amulets endowed with magical powers. For a true
understanding of the growth and history of the importance of
jewelry and precious stones, one has to be aware of the
indelible belief that precious stones could affect the
fortunes of the wearer.
Jewelry
was made with certain convictions in mind, to meld into,
conform to and strengthen beliefs. This was particularly
true when religions began to form an important sociological
bond.
Early
in its inception, jewelry was associated with religious
rites. Gold and jewels were used as gifts for the
maintenance of worship. In accordance with this began the
presumption that benefits could be derived from their wear
and soon began the development of a complex network of
fictitious powers being attributed to them. Curiously, many
of these legends surrounding the benefits of certain stones
were generally held all over the world. Gold and certain
gems common to many parts of the globe were believed to
yield similar virtues. Jewelers as artists are evident
throughout history. The art has been practiced in almost
every condition in which civilizations have existed. It is
most plausible that the metal worker, with an advance in
knowledge, became the jeweler. As the more malleable metals
were wrought into rings, bracelets, and armlets, it is
conceivable that the need to posses small stones for the
charm they retained made the metalworker turn to setting
these stones in his or her metal ornaments . Although the
methods were primitive, the fastening of stones became an
integral part of the craft. The stones of ancients, although
considered "precious" to their owners, are not in the
"precious stone" category of modern times. In jewelry
circles today and in the recent past, there are considered
only four truly precious stones: the diamond, the ruby, the
emerald and the blue sapphire. Among the earliest known
treasures of the pharaohs, emeralds, rubies and sapphires
were seldom used, while turquoise, jasper, lapis lazuli,
carnelian and rock crystal played a substantial role. Since
color was all important, diamonds were quite unknown. The
use of gemstones and precious metals during this time were
not limited, but spread lavishly about wherever ornament was
desired.
Soon
jewelry advanced from a simple ornamental or amulet stance
to a more practical one. Jewels became used as a symbol of
rank, wealth and social standing. When taking on this role,
they became an investment of marketable value. This economic
aspect of easily liquidating these possessions became an
essential part of the politics of Europe when Francis I
instituted the crown jewels as legal entity. For his
successors these jewels were often used during the religious
wars to guarantee foreign loans.
The
three basic roles that jewelry has played, the ornament, the
amulet and the symbol of wealth, have remained constant to
the present time. This paper will attempt to trace these
developments, particularly in the growth and affect on the
western world. Although this is not a definitive work, it
will give the reader a broad background on some of the more
popular methods of creating, legends and both customs and
whims of style that have been combined to give us a history
of jewelry. |
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