Jewelry refers to both the set of techniques for working metals and precious stones to obtain ornaments, and ornamental objects made of a precious metal, in which at least one precious stone is usually set. For many centuries metals such as gold used in different carats of 21, 18, 12, 9 or even lower, often combined with precious stones, has been the normal material for jewelry, but other materials such as shells and other plant materials can be used.
The first known jewels were actually created not by humans ( Homo sapiens ) but by Neanderthal who lived in Europe. Specifically, in the Cueva de los Aviones , a cave on the southeastern coast of Spain, has found perforated beads made from small sea shells dating back 115,000 years. Later in Kenya, at Enkapune Ya Muto, beads made from perforated ostrich eggshells have been dated to more than 40,000 years ago. In Russia, a stone bracelet and a marble ring are attributed to a similar period.
Later, early modern European humans had crude necklaces and bracelets of bones, teeth, berries and stones hung on pieces of string or animal sinew, or pieces of carved bone used to fasten clothing together. In some cases, the jewelry had pieces of shell or mother of pearl. A decorated engraved pendant (the The Star Carr Pendant (dating from around 11,000 BC and thought to be the earliest evidence of Mesolithic art in Britain) was found at the Star Carr site in North Yorkshire in 2015. About seven thousand years ago the first signs of copper jewelry were seen.
The first signs of successful jewelry making in ancient Egypt They date back to around 3 000 -5 000 years ago. Egyptian designs were more common in jewelry Phoenicians. Furthermore, ancient Turkish designs found in Persian jewelry suggest that trade between the Middle East and Europe was not uncommon. Women wore elaborate gold and silver pieces that were used in ceremonies.
The Greeks began using gold and gems in jewelry in 1600 BC, although earlier beads in the shape of shells and animals were widely produced. By 1500 BC, the main gold-working techniques in Greece included casting, twisting bars, and making wire.
Roman men and women wore rings with a engraved gem which was used with wax to seal documents, a practice that continued into the Middle Ages, when kings and nobles used the same method. After the fall of the Roman Empire, jewelry designs were absorbed by neighboring countries and tribes.
Post-Roman Europe continued to develop skills in jewelry making. The Celts and the Merovingians They are particularly known for their jewellery, which in quality equalled or surpassed that of the Byzantine Empire. Clothing clasps, amulets and, to a lesser extent, signet rings, are the most common artefacts known to exist in modern times. A particularly significant Celtic example is the Tara Fibula .
The Renaissance and exploration both had a significant impact on the development of jewelry in Europe. Large stones were often set in enameled rings.
From the end of the 18th century, the Romance had a profound impact on the development of Western jewelry. A category unique to this period and entirely appropriate to the philosophy of Romanticism was mourning jewelry. It originated in England, where the Queen Victoria She was often seen wearing jet jewellery after the death of Prince Albert, and allowed the wearer to continue wearing jewellery while expressing a state of mourning for the death of a loved one.
The Chinese used silver in their jewelry more than gold. The blue feathers of the kingfisher were linked to early Chinese jewelry and later blue gems and glass were incorporated into the designs. However, the jade was preferred to any other stone. The Chinese revered jade for the human qualities they assigned to it, such as its hardness, durability, and beauty. Early jade pieces were very simple, but over time more complex designs evolved. Jade rings from the 4th to 7th centuries BC show evidence of having been worked with a compound milling machine, hundreds of years before the first mention of such equipment in the West. The Chinese often placed their jewelry in their tombs. Most Chinese tombs found by archaeologists contain decorative jewelry.
Another ancient American civilization with expertise in jewelry making were the Maya. At the height of their civilization, the Maya made jewelry from jade, gold, silver, bronze, and copper. Maya designs were similar to those of the Aztecs, with lavish hairstyles and jewelry. The Maya also traded in precious gems. However, in the past, the Maya had little access to metal, so they made most of their jewelry from bone or stone. Merchants and nobility were the only ones who wore precious jewelry in the Maya region, much the same as the Aztecs.
The late 20th century saw the fusion of European design with Eastern techniques such as Mokume-gane, a Japanese metalworking procedure that produces a mixed metal laminate with distinctive layered patterns, as well as the laminate itself. Mokume-gane translates to "wood grain metal" or "wood eye metal" and describes the way the metal takes on the appearance of natural wood grain.
The women Padaung In Myanmar, large gold rings are placed around the neck. Beginning at age five, girls are introduced to their first neck ring. Over the years, more rings are added. In addition to the twenty-plus pounds of rings on her neck, a woman will wear an equal number of rings on her calves. In their extension, some necks modified in this way can reach a length of 10–15 inches (25–38 cm). The practice has a health impact and in recent years has gone from a cultural norm to a tourist curiosity. Tribes related to the Padaung, as well as other cultures around the world, use jewelry to lengthen earlobes or enlarge ear piercings. In the Americas, labrets have been worn since before first contact between the Innu Peoples and First Nations of the Northwest Coast.
Sources: Wikipedia.com