Ever wondered why we love rings on every finger, huge shiny earrings, and giving jewellery on special occasions?
Jewellery has long been one of the most popular gifts from all, for all, for any occasion. Young, old, any gender, any background, any ethnicity, it brings us together. Wearing jewellery has, in part, replaced the early custom of painting ones body for symbolic or status reasons. But how much had jewellery really changed over the centuries?
Gifting jewellery to loved ones is believed to date back as far as the Palaeolithic Period (Old Stone Age) (pre 10,000BCE). However, at this time the pieces gifted were generally Talismans and Amulets with the purpose of protection on long journeys and against bad luck. These were often made from bones, amber, stone, teeth, or shells. Most jewellery, if you had the skill to create it, or power to be given it, was worn as a status symbol.
African jewellery is thought to be some of the oldest we know of, also made from organic materials. In fact there is evidence of early Cowrie Shell and Mollusc Shell jewellery from around 75,000 years ago. Jewellery would vary in materials and design from tribe to tribe depending on what was accessible to them and the purpose of each piece.
Later, it is known that Ancient Egyptians (3100BCE) exchanged rings as part of their wedding ceremony, believing that the circle symbolised eternity. This is very similar to the idea of exchanging wedding rings today, they symbolise a commitment, unity, timeless love.
The Sumerian period (3100BCE) saw the origins of Cameo Jewellery. Carved pieces, often of agate, onyx, sardonyx, or shell, coral, glass, depicting the side portrait of an individual. Hence the term 'cameo' when a prolific actor makes a short appearance in a film.
This time also saw the introduction of the more frequent use of gold in jewellery. The ruins of the City of Ur, excavated by archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley, unveiled many gold pieces, including this one below - Queen Pu-Abi's adornments of multiple layers of headdresses, earrings, and ribbons, all made from gold and beading. It's also noted that an abundance of gold jewellery was found in the tomb's of men, including earrings, diadems, and headbands.
Trade and travel saw the blending of styles and traditions from Central Asia to the West, passing over the love for gold jewellery. In the Mediterranean, excavations in Crete, show the development from 1800-1400BCE in detailed goldwork, the emphasis on natural subjects, and the high level of realism. During Roman rule (625BCE-476CE), the time of democracy, the republican period, saw laws passed limiting the creation of jewellery and precious metal. However, the fall of this period and the rise of Julius Caesar saw the conquering of southern Italy, Macedonia, Greece, Asia, and Africa, and with them a massive influx of wealth. The jewellery that was previously reserved for nobles and the very wealthy was now accessible to many more 'ordinary' people. This time saw further advancements in jewellery making techniques, such as engraving precious gems. Julius Caesar did however prize pearls so highly above other gems and stones that he passed a law stating that only members of the ruling class were permitted to wear them.
Sticking with the topic of pearls but jumping forward to the Middle Ages, we land in the Byzantium Empire (330-1453CE). Where Emperor Justinian took Julius Caesar's law and ran with it, ruling in 529CE that only an Emperor could wear pearls, sapphires, and emeralds - adding that every free man is entitled to wear one gold ring. You would be right to associate Byzantine Jewellery with colour and shine, colourful gemstones and the early use of enamel meant they could achieve bright bold designs, many displaying religious imagery and iconography. The Crusades meant much of the wealth of the church, such as altars, chalices, icon missals, fell into the hands of the common people and moved between the East and West.
The time of the Vikings (800-1066CE), although situated within the period of the Byzantium Empire, is generally well known owing to popular film and television and so worth mentioning. Archaeological digs revealed that brooches were a common form of jewellery at the time, partially for function, as they would secure layers of cloth and decorative furs. There is also evidence of detailed and beautiful belt buckles from the period, again reinforcing the idea of function and decoration. Some studies claim this time saw a backwards step in the level of skill and detail, however, this may be owing to the lack of gemstones, colour, and the use of different materials rather than the previous predominant use of gold.
Medieval (1200-1500CE) jewellery (specifically in Europe) saw the arrival of the ability to cut rather than just polish gems. Slowly moving towards the likes of cabochons and faceted stones we know today. This method along with the enamelling process meant colour could now be added more easily and abundantly. This colour was again used to depict religious scenes, pearls were also used as a symbol of purity, whilst red gems were used to symbolise the blood of Christ. Whilst royals and the upper ranks of society were the ones wearing precious metals such as gold and silver, jewellery was not reserved for the upper classes alone. The lower ranks also wore jewellery, however, more typically made from copper or pewter. The Gothic period saw the increase in popularity of ring wearing as well as the trend of embellishing belts with enamelled and jewelled buckles, ensuring wearers could highlight their prosperity through many forms.
During the Renaissance Period (1400-1700CE) trade expanded further and art and culture were given new importance, as the power of the Church began to shrink. Precious gemstones we know today became popular, such as emeralds, diamonds, rubies, topaz, garnet, and amethyst. Royals and the very wealthy suddenly had a new level of desire to flaunt their wealth, creating high demand for jewellery to be made and for it to be of better quality. The royals of France, England, Spain, and Italy in particular desired to show off their power by the jewellery they wore. There was a huge surge in the popularity of large pendants, elaborate head dresses, and jewelled hairnets.
Who else springs to mind when thinking of extravagance throughout history but Henry VIII himself? Him and his daughter, Elizabeth I, both wore 'parure' which means a suite of matching jewellery. For example, Elizabeth I's headpiece, necklaces, rings, and earrings would match one another and also match the embellishments sewn into her dress. As seen below in her famous white dress covered in pearls.
During this time men generally seemed to be more bejewelled than women, nobles and common folk alike would decorate themselves as best as they could afford. They took the idea of form and function to new heights. Rather than beautifully making a necessary part of clothing, such as a buckle, they would almost overembellish any part of the outfit they could. Buttons were embellished, feathers and jewels sewn into hats, pieces of jewellery were made to match a specific outfit, and early iterations of cufflinks. This clearly shows the new relationship the people had with personal adornments.
The Baroque period (1700-1800CE) saw a new fascination with floral designs as a result of a budding interest (eh eh!) in exotic plants at the time. Fashion shifted and it became less popular for men to wear jewellery to the same extreme as before. The big change of this time was the growth in popularity of the diamond! Previously difficult to work with owing to it's hardness, it was discovered that the use of diamond, or diamond dust to cut the diamond resulted in a new style of cut with a greater number of facets than had been seen before. From this point the previously prized precious metal gold was now just something that held the diamond in place. Diamonds have remained as popular since. Coral jewellery also had it's time in the spotlight, imported from the Red Sea, India, and China, it was believed to have special powers, powers of protection against magic spells, and pieces were often given to children.
Interestingly jewellery was never before a gendered part of dress, up until post French Revolution (1789-1799CE) where masculine fashion adopted trends from the more simple and plain English traditions and women and feminine presenting people greatly adorned themselves with rings on every finger, pairs of bangles on the upper arm, and large earrings. Filigree jewellery became popular, being lighter and using less precious metal, all whilst the designs remained intricate and beautiful.
The beginning of the Georgian era (1714-1837CE) saw limitations by law on who could wear what jewellery, however this didn't last and soon the middle classes could choose to also adorn themselves. The 19th century saw the introduction of jewellery being worn just for the sake of wearing jewellery rather than being linked to social status or worn as a symbol. Two new prominent techniques were Repousse, the hammering and punching of metal sheet to create raised reliefs, and Canatille, the use of thin, usually gold, wire to create intricate designs.
The Victorian period (1820-1914CE) saw the use of animal, predominantly serpent, motifs used more frequently in jewellery designs. After the death of Prince Albert, and Queen Victoria's famous period of mourning, cameo jewellery once again grew in popularity as a way to memorialise the dead.
Edwardian (1901-1910CE) jewellery trends saw the rise in popularity of the choker, or dog collar necklace. Often quite thick and embellished with pearls and other gems, they could be layered with other necklaces to give a grand overall look. Platinum is also thought to have been first used during this time.
Art Deco (1919-1939CE) is often thought of as an architectural style, however it also refers to a jewellery style resulting from the celebration post First World War, during the Roaring Twenties. This time marks the first use of typical stud backs to earrings and the scroll or butterfly back closure we know today! Regarding fashion and jewellery, think back to a photo of someone in a Flapper Dress, beaded tassel headband, long beads of pearls, long tassel earrings, and maybe even an embellished cigarette holder!
Designers started making bigger and bolder jewellery, pushing the boundaries of what could physically be worn. Such as Lucio Fontana's Bracelet with oval gold plaque. The 1950s, post war, saw the rise in popularity of costume jewellery, owing to post war poverty and the desire for bright and colourful pieces. Florals and bows also came back into fashion. The continuing trend of the last 60 years seem to be that jewellery makers and designers are aiming to make pieces that stand out and can be undoubtedly recognised as their own.
People in ancient times and even today are buried with their jewellery, highlighting it's importance in that so many people desire to take their jewellery with them into whatever they face next. To conclude, jewellery hasn't vastly changed over the last 10,000 years from the point of the workmanship and desire to create wearable art. The industrial revolution saw the breakdown of the class system as it once was, and consequently meant jewellery became for everyone, somewhat taking away it's ancient meanings. Therefore, the main difference being that now absolutely anyone can wear jewellery, specifically in the sense of affordability, when you consider the various material options, and the mass produced items, there really is something for everyone. From the affordable to the crazy expensive options it's all down to what takes your fancy! But whatever anyone says there's great fun to be had browsing small businesses for unique pieces and bargain hunting at the car boot and charity shops!
'Man's desire to embellish himself with precious or apparently precious articles shows no sign of waning, much less of dying; indeed, on the contrary, it would appear that just as it has accompanied man from his earliest being until today, it will continue to be one of his greatest needs.' - Gregorietti
Sources:
Guido Gregorietti, Jewellery Through the Ages, Paul Hamlyn.
Jack Ogden, Jewellery of the Ancient World, Trefoil Books.
Shirley Bury, An Introduction to Rings, Victoria and Albert Museum.
Myth, Magic, and the Sorcerers Stone, https://www.gemsociety.org/article/myth-magic-and-the-sorcerers-stone/
A History of Jewellery - The V & A, https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/a-history-of-jewellery#:~:text=The%20jewellery%20worn%20in%20medieval,protective%20power%20were%20highly%20valued.
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