Fascinating World of Jewelry- PART I

Jewelry is a universal form of adornment. It has always been at the forefront of symbolizing people’s status and wealth. The purpose of wearing jewelry always remained the same – they enabled the wearer to express himself non-verbally, and showcase wealth, rank, political and religious affiliation, or affection toward someone.

Gemstones and jewelry have been a part of mankind since before history was written. Of course, the jewelry they wore in the old days was not made as we make it today. The ancient people wore jewelry made of feathers, bones, shells, and colored pebbles. These colored pebbles were gems and have been admired for their beauty and durability and made into adornments.

In the ancient world, the discovery of how to work metals was an important stage in the development of the art of jewelry. Over time, metalworking techniques became more sophisticated and decoration more intricate. As time went on, advancing technology enabled artisans to start taming metals and precious gems into works of art that influenced entire cultures and many modern jewelry styles.

The development of early jewelry can be roughly divided across three ancient civilizations – Egypt, India, and China. Egypt and Mesopotamia set standards in metallurgy, gem collecting, and glass manufacture. Their several thousand-year-long traditions of jewelry production laid a solid foundation for all European civilizations that came after them, and their unique style affected fashion trends even four thousand years later.

India, however, managed to develop such a connection to jewelry that it became an integral part of their daily life and religion. Since they were the first who managed to conquer the art of gold gathering and processing, they develop the art of jewel making much earlier than anyone in their environment. This made them one of the most sought destinations for trade, which eventually became the driving force for the incredible expansion of European civilization during the Age of Discovery. On the far side of the world, China managed to become the driving force in the development of arts and their influence slowly spread their unique style across entire Asia. Chinese style that is focused on scenes of nature, animals, and dragons is today still in high popularity and continues to be developed with each passing year.