The profound need for self-adornment throughout history has been answered through the oldest and most fascinating forms of decorative art―jewelry. A jewel has many meanings. It is a work of art, an ornament denoting rank, a statement of dress, a treasure, a sign of power, an investment, an ethnic clue, and an ostentation. The history of jewelry can be traced back to earliest times when simple beads made from seeds, berries and shells were used to adorn the body. Beautiful and intricate designs and workmanship have survived from the earliest civilizations, including the Persian empires of Achaemenids and Sasanian more than 2,500 years ago. The history of jewelry has been a challenging topic for historians. One of the problems is that most of the articles are written by dealers and proprietors who lack the knowledge of the history. This paper will shed light into this fascinating art without any bias. The history will be studied through different media, such as coins, paintings, sculptures and, of course, the jewels themselves. The history of jewelry has a certain amount of unknown meaning; sometimes it even has a superstitious aura of mystical magic. The goal of this paper is to follow the path of this magic.

Author: Dr. Ardeshir Dabestani