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Egyptian Jewelry


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Since the beginning of time, cultures have made jewelry.  For many, jewelry had a religious significance,  and for others it protected them from evil.  Jewelry was also a sign of nobility, and status.

The leaders in making jewelry were Egyptians, Romans, and Celtics.  Egyptian jewelry was made with simple materials such as  plant branches, shells, stones, or bones.  Egyptians often painted their jewelry to give these stones brilliance. 

Roman jewelry was made from a variety of substances as they had access to an array of environmental resources.  The jewelry piece very common to the Romans was the brooch.  This was used to fasten clothing together. Romans used gold and bronze in their jewelry. 

A unique type of jewelry exclusive to the Egyptian culture was the vest.  It was usually made of gold or gold plated metal.  It was often painted yellow to give the gold impression.  Egyptians were known for keeping a number of jewelry pieces in the tomb. These were placed on the body of the deceased.  

The most interesting of the ancient cultures is the Celtic Jewelry.  Celtic jewelry is not only gorgeous but has brilliant craftsmanship.  Their elaborate jewelry designs were made out of gold, silver and bronze.  Celtics made rings, bracelets earrings and pendants.  They are famous for the Celtic cross.  It is sought after by traders and merchants.

The most popular metals in all ancient cultures are Gold, Bronze and Silver.

gyptian jewelry was often made of cheaper materials bearing Christian symbols, such as crosses, pigeons, and Egyptian Ankh sign, rather than the amulets that were used before. 

There are several symbols used in  Egyptian Jewelry.  One is a cartouche.  It is a rectangle with a horizontal line at one end.  This indicated that the text enclosed is a royal name .It was usually worn by Pharaohs.  At times, amulets were given in the form of a cartouche displaying the name of a king and placed in tombs.  These items are often important to archaeologists for dating the tomb and its contents.  The ankh is another symbol that is seen in Egyptian jewelry.  This symbol means life.  The shape resembles a cross that has a large loop at the top. One additional symbol used in Egyptian jewelry was the scarab.  This symbol signifies rebirth.  

Today, you can visit any of the world's major museums and see the amazing jewelry that has been excavated from Ancient Egyptian tombs.  However, if you cannot go to a museum, look online for Egyptian Jewelry.  There are many stores that carry great Egyptian Jewelry.