The story of jewellery: How it has evolved through ages
Ornaments have not only been an all-time favourite with women, but also an intrinsic part of human civilisation. So, it’s no wonder that people have been wearing jewellery and gemstones from prehistoric times. But the jewellery worn in the past was not created in the same way as it is today. Beads made from Nassarius shells around 100,000 years old are the oldest jewellery items ever found. Let’s go back in time and travel through the history of jewellery through ages.
Prehistoric jewellery
The origins of jewellery can be traced to prehistoric periods, dating from 2.5 million years ago to 1,200 BC. Early humans decorated their bodies with shell, bone, wood, stones and feather ornaments. In the ancient world, the art of jewellery making advanced significantly after humans discovered the art of using metals in 5000 BC. But where did we come across such ancient jewellery? Well, you are guessing it right. In tombs and hoards. Archaeologists have found tombs of deceased adorned expensive gold, probably to allow them to step into eternity. No one knows though!
Globally, researchers have identified different types of periods or trends of ancient jewellery such as Sumerian, Egyptian, Phoenician, Greek, Etruscan, Celtic and Roman jewellery. Etruscan jewellery (5–6 century BCE) consisted of large brooches with sculptural decoration. A highlight of Egyptian jewellery was the broad collar or necklace called Usekh or Wesekh. Phoenician jewellery comprised a distinctive gold fibula, earrings, bracelets, rings and pendants with beads. Greek jewellery, on the other hand, made in Attica and the Peloponnese around the 7th and 6th century BCE had stylistic influences from Southwest Asia.
Medieval jewellery
The mediaeval period (1200–1500 AD) was marked by starvation, war and the plague epidemic, which resulted in tremendous deprivation and misery. And rightfully, jewellery from this period reflects a highly hierarchical and status-conscious culture. The royalty and nobles wore gold, silver and priceless stones, whereas the lower social classes wore jewellery made out of base metals such as copper or pewter.
One popular jewellery piece from the 12th century was the half-moon-shaped earring. Until the late 14th century, jewels were valued based on their size and their rich colour. Also, it was during this period that goldsmiths started using enamels on jewellery. Necklaces, bracelets and brooches were used as both personal ornaments and weapon decorations.
Interestingly, gold is a metal that never lost its value and was later modified with various techniques, such as enamelling, plating, gilding, soldering, inlay and casting. Also, freshwater pearls, jade (Turkey, 16th century), amber, jet and coral were among the most used jewels, all of which could be found in Medieval Europe.
Renaissance jewellery
In Italy, ‘Renaissance’ began in the 14th century. This period of ‘re-birth’ witnessed upheavals in several fields. Especially in Italy, in the grand duchy of Tuscany, jewellers’ art reached incredible highs during the Renaissance. Brooches and shoulder clasps from the Middle Ages gave way to more contemporary jewellery, such as necklaces, chandeliers, earrings and bejewelled headdresses. The pendant, worn on a chain, was undoubtedly the most recognisable piece of jewellery from the Renaissance era. There was a wide selection of gems, including emeralds, rubies, diamonds, topaz, amazonite, garnet and amethyst. Baroque pearls specifically were quite fashionable. And jewellery was not just limited to beautification. Some stone varieties were believed to offer protection from particular diseases or dangers, such as the evil eye and prevent toothaches! The scorpion had a longstanding reputation as a powerful symbol of protection on jewellery.
In the middle centuries, stones with Greek or Roman carvings were highly prized and were traded all over Europe. Innumerable variations of rings were extremely popular throughout Europe, including ones with bezels that could be opened to hold artifacts, symbols or—as a romantic tradition has it—poison!