| Ancient Egyptians are very well known all over | | | | representatives of the ancient Egypt took to the |
| the world for their remarkable jewelry, especially | | | | tomb a large series of jewelry pieces like crowns, |
| the ones discovered from the period of the | | | | wreaths, rings, ear-rings and imposing necklaces, |
| Middle kingdoms reign. Egyptians started | | | | which were all placed on their mummified bodies. |
| manufacturing jewelry during the Badari and | | | | As a particularity, the vest that ancient Egyptians |
| Naqada eras from natural materials, such as | | | | used to wore around their chest, has not been |
| stones, wood, and then becoming more | | | | seen anywhere else in other ancient civilizations. It |
| sophisticated, made of pealed bones or braches, | | | | was made of pure gold, and sometimes |
| and starting to paint them with various | | | | surrounded with other precious stones. Ancient |
| substances. Their purpose was primarily religious | | | | Egyptians used to make the vest even before |
| and symbolic, often being a bit extravagant and | | | | the gold era, making it from other materials that |
| were being worn by women and men alike. The | | | | they used to color in golden shades to make it |
| most common symbol that was found from the | | | | look like gold. |
| ancients is the Ankh which was meant to | | | | Around Christianity period, and the time that |
| represent eternal life. Some of the other symbols | | | | followed, most jewelry were made of cheaper |
| include the lotus flower, the falcon and the human | | | | materials, but all incrusted with Christian symbols |
| eye, representing the healing process. | | | | such as crosses, pigeons, a branch leaf, and the |
| The art of jewelry-making started to flourish with | | | | ancient Ankh sign. After the arrival of Islam in |
| the start of the Middle Kingdom, when pharaohs | | | | Egypt, men were prohibited from wearing |
| decided to express themselves better through | | | | jewelry, especially ones made of gold. However, |
| gold objects. Egyptians started to master the | | | | they were allowed to wear silver ones. Not a lot |
| technical methods of cutting semiprecious and | | | | of the ancient jewelries were recovered, since |
| precious stones with a sleek accuracy. Because of | | | | the artifacts were brutally ravished by thieves |
| the regular missions to Nubian regions as well as | | | | and the amount of gold from the ancient tombs |
| Eastern Desert ones, Egyptians became more and | | | | was stolen. Still, what remained are true works of |
| more sophisticated in stone sculpturing, bringing | | | | art and they are cherished at their real value, as |
| from these regions not only gold, but silver, | | | | should. |
| turquoise and agate as well. Pharaohs and high | | | | |