The Greeks were known for a lot of incredible things, but little is known of their jewelry. The first true examples we have of Ancient Greek Jewelry is pieces that utilize beads shaped in the form of various animals and shells. Around–00 B.C. they started to utilize gemstones and gold into their various jewelry designs. By the time 300 B.C. had rolled around, they had ventured into the area of colored jewelry that utilized amethysts, pearls, and emeralds. They made cameos from a striped down pink and cream agate known as the Indian Sardonyx. As was the case with most cultures, Greek jewelry designs started off simply, but as time progressed, they grew increasingly more elaborate and complex.
Jewelry in Ancient Greece was not worn in the daily lives of the people. It was to be worn during special occasions or while on public appearances. It was a common gift, and women often used it to show off their beauty, social status, and degree of wealth. Jewelry was often deemed to have mystical powers. It was thought to provide the wearer with protection from the “Evil Eye” (i.e.: a look by another person that is thought to send injury or bad luck), or other supernatural powers. Most Greek jewelry of the time was made from gold and silver, with gemstones and ivory, clay and bronze utilized as well.
We know of two types of jewelry that the Ancient Greeks developed. These pieces were: (1) cast jewelry pieces and (2) those pieces made from hammering out sheet metal. Although we have only a few examples of cast jewelry available today, we know that they were made from casting metal onto two moulds (made out of either clay or stone). These moulds were joined together with wax, and molten metal was poured into the center (a common technique that had been passed down from the Ancient Bronze Age). We have more samples of their jewelry that was created by hammering out sheet metal. The process was simple…sheet metal was hammered to the desired thickness, and then soldered together.
The Ancient Romans also had jewelry designs as part of their culture. The brooch, an item used to secure clothing together, was the most common example of early Roman jewelry. The Roman Empire was vast and huge, and the Romans took full advantage of this size, incorporating a diverse range of materials from far and wide. In the earlier years they utilized a lot of glass beads and pearls, but in later years they utilized bronze and bone and gold. Imported sapphires from Sri Lanka and Indian diamond (along with amber and emeralds), were also incorporated into their jewelry designs.
Following in the tradition of their brothers the Ancient Greeks, they too believed that jewelry could be used to ward off the “Evil Eye” that might be cast from one’s enemies. It was common for women to wear jewelry all over their bodies, but men would usually only wear a ring on the finger. While it was expected that Roman men would wear a ring on the finger, the number of rings, and number of fingers used, was left up to individual preference.
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