Early History of Jewelry: Ancient Times to the 17th Century
The earliest traces of jewelry can be traced to the civilizations that bloomed in the Mediterranean and what is now called Iran around 3,000 to 400 BC. These were usually simple stone amulets and seals. Many of these amulets and seals carried spiritual meanings, stars, and floral designs. Jewelry was offered to the gods and was used to dress up statues. The Royal Tombs in ancient Sumner, dating back to 3000 BC, delivered to us the greatest collect of all times. There they found mummies encrusted with every imaginable type of jewelry worn, headdresses, necklaces, earrings, rings, crowns, and pins.
Then there are the ancient Egyptians; they too wore amulets and talismans. Everyone has seen the scarab in Mummy movies; it is a carving of a small beetle. Another common motif was the ankh, the symbol of life. A popular piece of jewelry, and one which is even finding fashion again, is the multiple strains of beads of various colors. The Egyptians made bracelets of multiple strains of colored gemstones. You have probably heard these names, as they are still common today; amethyst, carnelian, green feldspar, and turquoise.
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