History Of Jewelrymaking

The history of jewlery

Used for everything from warding off evil spirits to establishing status within the community, wearing jewelry dates back to the dawn of man. The techniques for jewelry making have evolved throughout the ages--from primitive man's use of shells, wood and soft stones to the precious metals, gemstones and man-made materials that are part of jewelry creation today.

Ancient Man

The discovery of marine shells with man-made holes in Israel and Africa indicates ancient Paleolithic man-made jewelry, according to a report in "Science" magazine in 2006. The shells date back over 100,000 years. Other materials such as carved wood and rock held together with twine or cow hair was also used. Scientists believe this early form of jewelry making was originally developed for purely functional reasons like holding clothing onto the body. Eventually, this method of jewelry making evolved into creating purely decorative pieces as well as those expressing spiritual or religious symbolism.

Egyptian Jewelry Makers

The first glazed beads used for jewelry making were found in Egypt and date back to around 4500 B.C., according to the Department of Egyptian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The ancient Egyptians had access to gold and silver as well as precious gemstones. Between 2600 and 2100 B.C. Egyptians began to craft "elegant jewelry," according to the museum, These jewelers were the first to create gold and silver jewelry encrusted with carved gemstones and colored glass. The Egyptian people's love of beauty meant everyone from slaves to royalty adorned themselves with some form of jewelry.

Queen Puabi

In the early 1930s, British archaeologist C. Leonard Woolley unearthed this important archaeological find--ancient Sumerian Queen Puabi's tomb and mummy--in what is now modern-day Iraq. Among the discoveries were 9 pounds of jewelry adorning the queen's body, according to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. Dating back to 2600 B.C., gold, silver and precious stones like lapis and agate were used to make the queen's elaborate and intricately crafted jewelry. The Sumerian jewelry makers' work with fine metal leaf achieved a delicate appearance not seen before in jewelry craftsmanship, according to the museum.

Greece

After Alexander the Great conquered Persia around 331 B.C., Hellenic scholars Sean and Collette Hemingway say Greek artists and jewelry makers were exposed "to new and exotic influences." "Vast quantities of gold passed into circulation, and the market for fashionable gold jewelry exploded," say the Hemingways. Greek jewelry makers used their "technical virtuosity" to create intricate designs. One result of this work is the cameo. Until about the fifth century B.C., jewelry makers carved relief images into the stones and gems. The cameo resulted when Greek jewelry makers began engraving the relief images out of the stones and gems. The same hard stone engraving techniques are still used in jewelry today, say the Hemingways. Cameos remained popular all over Europe and the United States until the late 19th century--quite a compliment to the Greek artisans who created them.

19th Century

Some of today's most recognizable jewelry makers started business in the 19th century. Cartier, Boucheron, Tiffany and Van Cleef and Arpels all began creating jewelry in the 1800s. According to the American Museum of Natural History, the increasing availability of diamonds in the 1870s makes this the most sought-after gem. For the first time, diamond jewelry is not limited to royalty but available to all who can afford it.

Until the 19th century, all jewelry was made individually by hand. The onset of the industrial revolution was about to change this--most notably in the United States. Jewelry factories rapidly replaced artisan's workshops in the U.S., according to the Department of Decorative American Arts at the Met. For the first time, jewelry becomes affordable for almost everyone--it is no longer a symbol of wealth and rank.

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