Egyptian jewelry is one of the most ancient and fascinating in the world. Egyptian jewelry has been and still is a symbol of power, wealth and social status. In this blog we will explore its history, materials, colors and how the symbolism of Egyptian jewelry has evolved.
Discover with us the jewelry in Egypt and its curiosities!
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1. Egyptian jewelry1. Egyptian jewelry
Egyptian jewelry dates back to the pre-dynastic era, more than 5,000 years ago. During this period, jewelry was an accessory admired by both men and women. Jewelry signified wealth and status, but it also served as an amulet to protect against evil, thought to bring prosperity to those who wore it.
At this time there was a great variety of jewelry, such as amulets, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, rings, anklets, diadems... They took advantage of any part of the body to adorn it with jewelry. Today these pieces are an impressive legacy of ancient Egyptian culture.
Among all these jewels, three were predominant: necklaces, bracelets, and signet rings, the latter used by pharaohs and high officials to seal important documents.
2. Ancient Egyptian jewelry materials
For the creation of Egyptian jewelry, different materials were used. Gold was the most popular metal, being the symbol of the sun and eternal life. Jewelry made of this material was reserved for high royalty, and was decorated with precious gems and symbolic motifs.
Another widely used material was silver. This did not have the same value as gold, but it was a very appreciated material for its beauty and ability to reflect light. It was mainly women and children who adorned their bodies with these jewels.
Precious stones were also used in Egyptian jewelry. Among them, gems such as lapis lazuli, jasper, and quartz were highly valued and used to form necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings. Queen Cleopatra had the emerald as her favorite gemstone. Would you visualize Cleopatra wearing the Amazona Earrings Earrings by Lavani or with the Green Stardust Bracelet?
The Egyptians were highly skilled in the creation of precious jewelry. Although many of the gemstone cutting methods used by the ancient Egyptians have disappeared, the high quality of the jewelry and stones remains today.
3. Colors of Egyptian jewelry
The colors of Egyptian jewelry and gemstones were very important to the Egyptians, as certain colors were believed to offer good luck and protection from evil. Blue was the color that represented royalty, divinity and eternity, which made lapis lazuli one of the most valuable stones. This color was used to express happiness.
Not only was this the predominant color, but in Egypt a wide variety of colors were used, such as yellow, orange, brown and reddish tones. Red represented energy and vital force. And to wear all these colors they used carnelian, such as red jasper. But jewelry with green tones were also common, representing life and fertility. For this, finding jewelry with turquoise, green jasper or malachite was not difficult.
An example in which we can see how these colors were predominant in Egyptian jewelry is the famous golden mask of Tutankhamun, which is inlaid with turquoise, lapis lazuli and carnelian.
4. Symbology
In Egyptian culture, jewelry not only represented power and status, but also had a strong religious significance. Many jewels represented the Egyptian gods and goddesses, and it was believed that wearing these jewels would protect from the dangers of life.
A very important symbol of ancient Egypt is the Eye of Horus. It represents protection, power and good health. The goddess Wadjet personifies the eye, which belonged to the sky god Horus. Horus was considered to have the eyes of the sun and the moon, although he was especially associated with the sun.
An ancient myth tells of a battle between Horus and Seth, god of rebellion, in which Horus loses his left eye and Seth his testicles. Thoth, god of the moon, manages to recover Horus' eye and is given the name Wadjet, meaning "all" or "health".
Because of this history, the eye of Horus was believed to have healing and protective powers, and was used as a protective amulet. This symbol was divided into six parts, representing the breaking of the eye of Horus into these fragments. And each of these is associated with one of the six senses.
If you want to have the opportunity to feel protected by such a powerful symbol as the Eye of Horus, Lavani has similar necklaces that will help you to repel negative energy and attract good luck. Such as the Eye PendantPendant, the The Sacred Necklace Necklace and the The Third Eye Necklace.