| As Egypt is the cradle of civilization, no doubt that | | | | engraved, incised and chased work. The |
| it is also the cradle of the arts and the home of | | | | combinations of layers of gold plates, together |
| craftsmanship. Personal ornaments appear to | | | | with colored stones were also present. Gold was |
| have been among the very first objects on which | | | | also widely used in gilding other less precious |
| the invention and ingenuity of man were | | | | materials such as wood and stone. Cloisonné |
| exercised. In the beginning, natural objects, such | | | | and filigree were already known at that time. The |
| as small shells, dried berries, small perforated | | | | cloisonné technique was used in pectorals |
| stones, feathers of variegated colors, were | | | | and pendants. It created outlines of figures and |
| combined by stringing or tying together to | | | | symbols with gold wires that were then soldered |
| ornament the head, neck, arms and legs, the | | | | to sheets of beaten gold and later inlaid with |
| fingers, and even the toes. | | | | colored stones or glass. Filigree, a delicate, lacelike |
| The earliest examples of Egyptian jewelry which | | | | ornamental work of gold or silver wire, was |
| have come down to us are those of the Pre | | | | mostly used in buckles and clasps of gold. |
| dynastic period (more than 3000 years B.C.), | | | | Granulation was the technique of creating various |
| where the Egyptians had been making beads and | | | | designs by soldering very tiny gold balls to the |
| ornaments of semi precious stones such as | | | | surface of gold sheets. The stones used in the |
| amethyst, lapis lazuli, cornelian, Quartz, Garnet, | | | | inlays were considered to have magical properties |
| Turquoise , and other objects. They also used | | | | based on their color. |
| man made materials such as glazed objects and | | | | Egyptian craftsmen: |
| colored glass imitating semi precious stones. Most | | | | The standard of work of the Egyptian goldsmiths |
| of the materials used in making these beads were | | | | was high from the beginning of the pharaonic age. |
| chosen for their color symbolization or amulet | | | | Craftsmen in ancient Egypt were usually trained |
| significance especially the ones used in making | | | | and skilled laborers. They were often |
| funerary jewelry, as they had a religious and | | | | well-respected in the community and had a |
| magical significance in the Egyptian ancient world | | | | comfortable lifestyle. Yet every craftsman's |
| by protecting the wearer from evil. Turquoise for | | | | lifestyle and social standing depended on the |
| example was a symbol of fertility, good luck, and | | | | quality of his skills and experience. Most craftsmen |
| as protection from the evil eye. | | | | worked in temple workshops or palace |
| So as it appears, ancient Egyptians wore various | | | | workshops, for gold and silver jewelry were |
| shapes and kinds of jewelry, some of which are: | | | | mostly reserved for the use of the gods, the |
| - Bracelets and Bangles: these ornaments often | | | | kings and, to a lesser extent, the rich and |
| came in matching sets. Ancient Egyptians also | | | | powerful. Very few Egyptian commoners |
| used the same term for describing anklets. | | | | possessed any gold jewelry. |
| - Finger rings: its earliest form was as simple as | | | | The art of jewelry making reached its peak in the |
| rings made of stone. Later, rings were made of | | | | Middle Kingdom, when Egyptians mastered the |
| small strings of beads, gold-foil bands and wires of | | | | technical methods and accuracy in making pieces |
| copper or silver closed by twisting the ends | | | | of jewelry. During the New Kingdom, this art |
| together. | | | | flourished in an unprecedented way because of |
| - Amulets of semi-precious stones: these were | | | | regular missions to the Eastern Desert and Nubia |
| charms worn by the living or placed on a mummy | | | | to extract metals. |
| to ward off evil spirits or bring good luck. | | | | Famous discoveries: |
| - Cartouches: These were elliptical symbols | | | | It is to the tombs of ancient people that we must |
| encircling the inscribed birth and coronation names | | | | look for evidence of the early existence of |
| of the king. They were usually worn as pendants. | | | | Egyptian jewelry. The jewelry of the ancient |
| - Pectorals: These are large pieces of jewelry, | | | | Egyptians has been preserved for us in their |
| usually in the form of trapezoids, worn on the | | | | tombs, sometimes in, and sometimes near the |
| chest. | | | | sarcophagi which contained the embalmed bodies |
| - Necklaces: These were widely used among | | | | of the wearers. This is due to the ancient |
| wealthy people, and were usually made of | | | | Egyptian funerary beliefs that required that the |
| precious metals such as gold and silver, and | | | | mummified body should be wearing the finest |
| decorated with colored glass beads and | | | | jewelry. A large number of such jewelry was |
| semi-precious stones. | | | | found on the mummies; for example, wreaths, |
| - Earrings: Theses were worn by both men and | | | | crowns, or hair bands. On the head or wig, they |
| women. | | | | fixed different types of ornaments, such as small |
| - Crowns: These were reserved for royalty. They | | | | roses, golden bands, and some simple bands of |
| were made of gold or silver and decorated with | | | | jewelry. There were also different types of belts, |
| semi-precious stones. | | | | including waist belts and belts with hanging vertical |
| - Belts: These included waist belts and belts with | | | | straps ornamented with colored beads. Other |
| hanging vertical straps ornamented with colored | | | | types of jewelry included earrings, bracelets, |
| beads. They were usually found in tombs. | | | | anklets, rings, and necklaces. |
| - Vests: This kind of jewelry is only found in | | | | The earliest known example of Egyptian jewelry |
| ancient Egyptian jewelry. It was worn around the | | | | goes back to the first dynasty. It is a set of four |
| chest. It was usually made of gold or of | | | | bracelets found in the tomb of Zer at Abydos . |
| gold-plated metal. Even when it was made of a | | | | By the Twelfth Dynasty the jeweler's skill had |
| cheap material, it was painted yellow to give a | | | | attained something as near perfection as is |
| golden impression. | | | | possible in an imperfect world. For technical skill, |
| Gold and silver Egyptian jewelry: | | | | delicacy of handling and for the love of nature |
| The real start of Egyptian jewelry was when | | | | which the design reveals there is nothing more |
| ancient Egyptians had access to precious metals, | | | | fascinating than the two coronets of Khnemit, |
| for even in ancient times, Egypt was envied for | | | | representing floral garlands used at festivals and |
| its underground treasures. At first they got these | | | | including most of the flowers and fruits grown in |
| metals from the Eastern Desert and Nubia , later | | | | Egyptian gardens |
| too as tribute and spoils of war from Syria and | | | | One of the best known examples of the |
| the north. Mining was often carried out by | | | | magnificence of Egyptian jewelry is the jewelry of |
| convicts under military control. This was a | | | | Tutankhamen's time (18 th dynasty). Its treasures |
| dangerous endeavor from which many of the | | | | include gold filigree and granulated gold-work, and |
| laborers probably never returned. | | | | you hardly know what, amid such splendors, to |
| Up until the Middle Kingdom, silver was considered | | | | admire most. The gold mask of the adolescent |
| as valuable to the Egyptians as gold, but after | | | | king, the headdress and collar inlaid with colored |
| that time frame, Egyptians seem to have | | | | glass, or the smaller specimens of the ancient |
| become fanatical over gold. Egypt was richer in | | | | jewelers' art including the pectoral ornaments inlaid |
| gold than any other country of the region. | | | | background of cloisonné. Tutankhamun's |
| Statues, furniture, vessels and jewelry, above all | | | | collection is the most complete royal treasure |
| in the royal household and the temples, were | | | | ever discovered. |
| often created from these precious metals.jewelry | | | | If we have to speak of the production of jewelry |
| working techniques: | | | | as a modern art industry, we should say that |
| The Egyptians knew two kinds of bonding metals: | | | | nowadays, the craftsman of the twentieth |
| welding and soldering. As early as the Middle | | | | century follows methods and traditions which his |
| Kingdom little pieces of jewelry were welded | | | | distant ancestors would recognize and understand, |
| together. Soldering was known since the 4th | | | | as these techniques come down to us from very |
| dynasty at least. The work of Egyptian gold and | | | | far days. |
| silversmiths also included Hammered work, | | | | |