Jewelry of ancient Egypt

Dear girls, today we will speak about Egypt, its history, jewelry and places where you can buy lovely pieces with a touch of ancient times, symbolizing power and protection from evil.

ancient egypt jewelry

As we know, ancient Egypt valued much personal adornment, and jewelry was born to men and women of all social classes. Earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings and anklets were all common motifs in ancient Egypt. Empowered by advanced technology, access to precious metals and gems, and culture of the nobility and royalty, who appreciate luxury and rarity over jewelry items mass produced, soon became the leading force the manufacture of jewelry and trendsetters who will live forever.

The main materials used to make Egyptian jewelry were copper and gold. Ordinary people could afford copper, while the nobility preferred gold. Both materials were mined in the deserts of Nubia and the supply was plentiful. Silver jewelry was rarely discovered during Egyptian excavations, since silver was not exactly available in ancient Egypt. The Egyptian Jewelers used gold whose color variations ranged from gray to red brick and pink. The variation in colors came from natural and intentional mix of elements such as silver, copper and iron with gold.

The ankh is one of the most familiar symbols of the Egyptians. The ankh may represent the elements of air and water, related to the gift of life. Often they were showing it being offered to the lips of the king, like symbol of the “breath of life”. The popularity of the ankh is evident in the numerous and varied objects that were modeled with this form. In the tomb of Tutankhamun, a mirror golden box had this way.