Ancient Egyptian Jewelry Techniques

Here are the main techniques and materials that the ancient egyptian jewelers and craftsmen used to make jewelry for the royals and noble families.

Ancient egyptian jewelry techniques.

Some of the jewelry techniques we associate with victorian jewelry repoussé granulation filigree and chasing were practiced as far back as 1700 b c. The egyptians are sometimes credited with making the first costume jewelry making fantastic pieces with glass beads that resembled semi precious gems. A cache of royal jewelry from the tombs of middle kingdom princesses displays extremely high levels of skill in terms of design as well as precisely cut stone inlays repoussé and cloisonné. Some of the earliest forms of egyptian jewellery were beads made from stone or shell.

The egyptian preference was towards the use of bright colors lustrous stones and precious metals. Stone and shell can be shaped using sand and simple drills such as the bow drill can be used to make holes in beads or pendants for stringing. Many methods were used together spells would usually accompany the acts and the different tools were used for different purposes. Egyptians had access to precious metals and gem stones.

With their advanced tools technology and skilled craftsmen they were among the first who established the jewelry making industry in the ancient world. Gold represented the flesh of the gods in ancient egyptian jewelry. The discovery of gold in abundance in the nubian deserts revolutionized the egyptian jewelry making. First used by the egyptians this decorative technique involves the application of niello a black coloured powder made by fusing together copper silver lead and sulphur onto designs engraved on small scale metal objects usually made of silver.

Gold and other precious metals. King tut s mummy had 11 collar pieces and 20 amulets in its wrappings. Though ancient egyptians prized silver for its rarity they used gold often and perfected many of the techniques that would eventually be used in modern jewelry making. The grandeur of the ancient egyptian civilization is evident in the crafts and artifactsleft behind including jewelry.

Many objects especially small amulets and inlays were made from a manufactured material known as egyptian faience. Jewelry had to be surrendered if one was defeated in battle. The main reason for wearing jewelry is because of its aesthetic function. Drilled stone and shell appear as early as 5000bc.

When gold was discovered along the river of nile egyptian created gold mines to extract as much gold as possible. Amulets and collar pieces were placed between each layer of wrapping on a mummy in order to provide protection rather than as adornment. The egyptians were also skilled at using glass beads to simulate the look of semi precious gems. The egyptians were quite soberly dressed in white linen fabrics and jewelry offered a possibility for contrast.