The History of Jewellery: The Ancient World, The Medieval Era and the Renaissance (Part 1)

My sister, Michelle, once said, “Jewellery is like a rope that traces and accentuates a woman’s beauty”, and it got me pondering over the fact that jewellery does elevate the whole look and makes you look expensive, but the real question is: when did it all start? 

Jewellery had set the stage way earlier than we could have imagined. We often see paintings of people in power, and photographs of the elite drenched in gold, silver, diamonds and pearls and wonder how jewellery even came into being. Even tribal cultures have their own style and design to mark the unique features of their tribe. 

To answer the question of how it all began, we need to take a ride on a time-travelling machine to get a glimpse of the ancient world and how they came up with their statement pieces.

Jewellery and the Ancient World. 

The proclamation of loyalty, the status symbol, the recognition and honour were some of the reasons jewellery was worn in ancient times.

Jewellery in the ancient world was different from the ones that we see today. They were made of bones, shells and/or stones. Dating back 135,000 years, the Neanderthals were seen wearing decorative bones and talons. Archaeologists have also found evidence of jewellery and body ornamentation in Northern Italy in Fumane Cave. Neanderthals in Europe wore stained shells as necklaces dating back 50,000 years. 

Back to 110,000 years ago, the Homosapiens had a more complicated structure to their jewellery as compared to the Neanderthals. They wore beaded Nassarius shell necklaces. 

When humans figured out how to work with metal, they had a clearer vision of how to tame the metal to make jewellery with intricate designs. 

Gold jewellery was more prevalent than other metals. The oldest gold jewellery did not exist until around 4000 to 4500 BC in Eastern Bulgaria. Eastern Europe. Wearing gold meant you had wealth; you had power and prestige. Carved and stained glass were discovered around 5000 years ago in Egypt, and carving of gemstones was first started in Mesopotamia. 

People across civilisations were in search of this rare material as it was of great value. The Ancient Egyptians wore gold as a symbol of wealth, power and influence. The Ancient Greeks wore gold to show their standing in society. The Ancient Chinese had a different approach altogether; all men and women had a piece of gold jewellery to ward off evil, and in medieval India, under the rule of the Mughals, it was considered royal, helpful and protective.

Archaeological excavations in parts of the UK show that, among the Anglo-Saxons before the coming of Christianity, their pagan traditions required them to bury their loved ones with their goods, and that would include their jewellery, often brooches and beads. For ranking officials, burial sites would be filled with precious gems and stones they graced themselves with. 

Jewellery of Various Ancient Civilisations. 

Each civilisation is tied to its own designs and intricate markings that depict the uniqueness of its civilisation. 

The Mesopotamian Civilisation (C. 4000- 500 BCE) had beautiful designs, something out of the ordinary that rivals modern-day jewellers. They used gold, silver, lapis lazuli and carnelian. They incorporated natural elements like the moon and other filigree work. 

The purposes of these jewellery pieces are intertwined with religion and ceremonial rituals. 

Egyptian jewellery (C. 3000-30 BCE), compared with Mesopotamian Jewellery, is less elaborate but more vibrant. The Egyptians considered gold as the flesh of their gods. What makes their jewellery unique is that the gems and colourful glass are assigned symbolic meaning.

The Egyptians did not just adhere to mainstream necklaces; they also brought into the jewellery world broad collar necklaces, pectoral ornaments and headdresses. However, the most magnificent thing about Egyptian jewellery was that those pieces featured iconic motifs like the scarab beetle, which represents rebirth and the ankh, which represents life or the breath of life. 

The Greeks (C. 800- 31 BCE) had a more complex approach to designing their jewellery, focusing more on the beauty of the metalwork rather than the need for gemstones. They produced diadems, earrings and necklaces with expressive details. Gold was primarily used for their jewellery pieces. Their designs included leaves, acorns and mythical figures. 

Roman jewellery (C. 500 BCE- 500 CE) combined two amazing civilisations: the Greek aesthetic and the Etruscan technical prowess. They popularised the use of gemstones like emeralds, sapphires and pearls, and they used finger rings as a symbol of social status. Engraved signet rings were also used by officials to authenticate documents.

Jewellery in the Medieval Ages.

The thriving civilisations during Medieval Europe were the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. With the rise of Christianity, the Byzantines popularised Christian- themed jewellery, crosses, medallions and reliquaries. The Ottoman jewellery was similar to Indian and Persian jewellery. Their jewellery also overlapped with Roman Christian and Hellenistic designs

In Medieval Europe, jewellery was status-bound. The aristocracy wore gold, silver and precious gems to mark their status. The lower ranks wore copper and pewter jewellery to adorn themselves. 

The pendant cross was one of the most decorated jewellery pieces of that time. Unlike in ancient times, the Christian world prohibited the burial of jewellery with the deceased, though this did not pertain to royalty or important clergy

Jewellery in the Renaissance 

Renaissance period was not just a rebirth of cultural, artistic and intellectual movements, but it was also a rebirth in jewellery. Renaissance jewellery was inspired by classical and mythological themes. Most of the jewellery pieces in the Renaissance period were grand, transcending beauty and the extravagant craftsmanship of the jewellers.

The Renaissance also brought about the integration of culture and the incorporation of Italian styles into old traditional designs. The exquisite craftsmanship of the goldsmiths during this era was beyond belief, as these jewellery pieces’ intricate designs were too perfect and incredibly well made. 

Jewellery during this period marked the immense wealth and status of the bearer. They collected precious stones, including diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds. Thanks to Vasco Da Gama, gemstones were abundant. 

With the multiple boxes of gemstones came the enormous baggage of superstitions.  These gems were thought to have special healing powers.

The most common forms of jewellery pieces that the people of the time wore were pendants, earrings, rings, and dress jewellery. 

Looking back at these amazing eras, jewellery had its own identity and aura. Each empire and region had a different take on their designs and their specifications. What seemed to be relevant in one was forgotten in another. And through this evidence, we can conclude that these jewellery pieces played an important role in the identity of the race and the period of that time, and this article does not end here…