After the first simple jewelry made of seashells, bones and animal teeth, the introduction of gold opened a new era in the history of jewelry. With it came power. Our mystical journey takes us to the ancient civilization of Egypt. Egyptian technicians were empowered by amazing advances in technology and their ability to acquire gold and valuable gemstones. Like the jewelry found in Queen Pu-abi’s tomb, there have been wonderful discoveries of ancient Egyptian jewelry in the tombs of its kings and queens. The magnificent treasures in Tutankhamen’s tomb reveal the amazing degree of mastery by Egyptian goldsmiths.

The jewelry of the Byzantine Empire, next in our journey, is a continuation of Roman traditions and techniques. The fact that jewelry played a very important role in the Byzantine Empire is shown when, in 529 A.D., Emperor Justinian created laws regulating the wear and usage of jewelry (the Justinian Code). Also covered in this segment is the history of rings and especially engagement rings.

Author: Dr. Ardeshir Dabestani