Gold, as a symbol of the Sun, has attracted people's attention since ancient times. He was identified with deities, with power, with power, with wealth.

Moreover, the ancient peoples did not so much use gold for monetary payments as they sacrificed it to their gods, decorated the clothes of priests, pharaohs and emperors, and used it to cast statues and erect ritual buildings. They fought for him, they killed and betrayed him, he was thrown at the feet of the most beautiful women.

We also perceive gold, first of all, as an indicator of status and material well-being. But in fact, it is quite possible to take advantage of the magical properties of this difficult metal to attract good luck into your life, cure some diseases and even correct your character.

Magic properties gold

Gold loves decisive, bright, creative people. It is considered the metal of Leo, the sunniest sign of the zodiac. However, even Leo will not benefit from gold if they betray their essence and turn out to be weak or petty. Therefore, gold jewelry is not recommended for those who are unable to fight. The maximum that gold can do for its owner in this case is to protect him from attacks. However, in most cases, such protection does more harm than it actually helps - the person relaxes, stops even trying to progress and develop, and finally loses vigilance. And when he loses or takes off the gold that protected him, he becomes helpless and open to any threat.

So if you don't feel within yourself inner strength, change gold jewelry more often, take it off at night. Or even choose silver or platinum.

Chains and pendants

Gold perfectly pacifies emotions - it makes a person more balanced, calm, and not subject to anger. It helps you remain independent of your mood and make decisions on a rational rather than emotional level. Therefore, it is recommended that easily excitable people wear gold around their neck as a chain or pendant so that the decoration or the end of the chain ends up in the solar plexus area. By the way, it is believed that these jewelry also reduce blood pressure.

Rings

A massive gold ring in the form of a signet without precious stones will make its owner more confident in his own abilities, give him power over people, and attract good luck and financial success to him. This gold decoration helps to clearly see all emerging opportunities, gives the determination to take risks where many benefits can be acquired. However, as already mentioned, gold increases the power of the strong, but does not give it to the weak. Therefore, wearing a gold signet as a talisman is recommended for active people who know how and love to experiment, take risks, and defend their interests.

Earrings

Gold earrings without inclusions of stones, other metals and enamel help a woman understand her true essence, get rid of complexes and outside influences. They make their owner more relaxed, freer to choose her own path. A woman is more willing to make contact, she has more fans and admirers. If you are about to have a first date or a job interview, new job, then gold earrings can play the role of a powerful talisman that will bring you good luck.

And gold earrings help you hear important information in a timely manner and manage it wisely.

Bracelets

Gold bracelets are not recommended for those who are afraid of becoming emotionally dependent on another person. And also for those who are too susceptible to the influence of others. For such people, bracelets become bonds, shackles that negatively affect the entire life process. If you want to neutralize the negative impact of bracelets, then choose jewelry not made purely of gold, but with pendants made of stones that suit you. In this case, gold will cease to be a magical item, but will become just a piece of jewelry.

But if you are a person in a creative or constructive profession who does something with your own hands - draws, sculpts, builds - then a gold bracelet will serve you well - your hands will become truly “golden”, and real masterpieces will emerge from under them.

Gold and healing

Gold is also credited with medicinal properties. For example, it is believed that if you hold gold in your mouth, a sore throat or aching tooth will go away. The following remedy is also used for toothache: take a gold object without stones and put it in clean water, leave for about an hour, warm to room temperature and rinse the aching tooth every 15 minutes. Repeat the procedure 4-5 times, but do not remove the gold from the water.

And if you apply gold to diseased areas for a while, you can cure or at least alleviate pain in the joints, spine, and liver. To reduce pain in the spine, it is recommended to roll a smooth wedding ring from top to bottom - from neck to tailbone. There is no need to roll from bottom to top, especially with low pressure.

Naturally, you should not replace gold therapy with conventional drug treatment under the strict supervision of competent doctors. But this treatment can be supplemented.

You just need to take into account that you can be allergic to gold - the skin under the rim of the ring may begin to peel off, and a small rash may appear on the body from the chain, pendant and earrings. In this case, refuse to wear this metal - for some reason you are incompatible with it, it does not suit you.

Ancient doctors believed that gold relieves sadness and depression. But this is where the stereotype could come into play - if you have a lot of gold, then why should you be sad and despondent?

The magic of gold was also used in love potions. It was believed that wine infused with a golden ring could inspire love, since a piece of hot sun appeared in the wine.

Conspiracies for gold

Nowadays, as in ancient times, gold spells are often used. However, it is worth considering that for such magical manipulations, gold is taken of the highest standard, that is, it must contain a completely insignificant percentage of foreign impurities.

Conspiracy for beauty

This plot is made at dawn, on the waxing moon, preferably on Tuesday. Take a clay bowl with clean (spring or well) water and place a gold ring without a stone in the water. And from the center to the edges of the bowl, begin to move the ring in the water, as if in a spiral. At the same time say:

The power of the ring for my face, to be as beautiful as a ring, without end. Gold in the water, water on my face, give me beauty, golden ring.

Leave the ring in the water for a day, and place the bowl itself on the windowsill so that the sun's rays fall on it during the day. Wash yourself with the enchanted water for three days, reciting the same incantation.

Wealth plot

This plot is also done on the waxing moon, preferably on the second lunar day. Take a new high-quality wallet and put a large bill or gold coin in it. Wrap the gold chain around the wallet three times. And say the spell:

Just as a golden purse is wrapped in a chain, so more money is added to my house, gold to gold, money to money, wealth itself sticks to my hands. Money will fill my wallet as soon as the horn of the new moon flashes. My word is strong!

Then hide the wallet with the chain in a secluded place until the full moon. After the full moon, remove the chain, it can be worn. You can also use a wallet, just do not spend the banknote with which you performed the ritual. Place it separately and let it lie there for at least a month.

In conclusion, let me note that, like any other talisman, amulet or amulet, gold helps only those who believe in its power, who ask for help and thank them for what they have done. And it also loves when it is looked after, when it is cleaned and shined. So, if you want to not only wear jewelry, but also benefit from the power of this wonderful solar metal, treat it with due respect.

Gold is a noble metal surrounded by mysteries and secrets. It corresponds to the planet Sun. “Gold” is translated from Indo-European as “bright, yellow.” In Latin it corresponds to the word “aurora” - sunrise. Therefore, very often gold is associated with the sun and is designated as a point in a circle.

In its pure form, gold is a soft, ductile, but heavy and dense metal. The high level of density of this metal greatly facilitates the process of its extraction.

Since this metal does not corrode, it has a wide range of applications. Gold is used in the jewelry industry, in pharmacology, in medicine, and even in the financial system, as a currency. Thus, gold gained worldwide fame.

Legends of gold

There are many legends about gold. One of them talks about a certain people in the Sumerian civilization who were yellow. They mined gold for space aliens. The Anunnaki aliens arrived on Earth every 3600 years and took the spoils. They needed gold to save their planet Nibiru. In order for the “yellow” people programmed to mine gold to work for many years, the Anunnaki taught them to eat this metal, which gave them longevity.

In ancient times, eating gold was very common. Some Indian tribes added gold to their food to induce trance. The pharaohs were given gold powder daily in their food and drink to increase their life span.

Since ancient times, gold has been credited with magical properties. It has strong energy. Therefore, this metal is most often used to create protective amulets and talismans.

Gold jewelry affects a person's character in different ways. They make some confident, strong, relaxed, while others make them sick and depressed. There is such a thing as a “gold allergy”. People, putting on gold jewelry, begin to get sick and become depressed. They become lethargic, apathetic and unlucky.

A person who has a lot of gold, but has no attachment to it, moves through life easily. Everything always works out for him, his wealth increases, and he develops spiritually.

A talisman made of gold will protect its owner from various troubles and negative manifestations. That's why businessmen use it so often. But we must remember that gold jewelry, amulets, and amulets accumulate the energy and information of their owners. Gold can be charged with both positive and negative energy. Therefore, you need to be careful when receiving gifts made of gold.

In ancient times, gold was considered the elixir of life and a cure for all diseases. People believed that gold powder could prolong their life. Therefore, metal was added to food. The Sumerians used gold toothpicks, and gold jewelry was put on babies to ensure a peaceful sleep for the child. The patient was given gold plates to chew, after which the person recovered faster and gained strength.

Gold has bactericidal properties. It is known that water lasts longer in a golden vessel than in any other.

In medicine, gold is used to diagnose and treat cancer. A gold capsule is injected into the cancerous tumor, which kills pathogenic cells, leaving healthy tissue unharmed.

IN plastic surgery The method of golden threads has long been known, which helps to gain youth and beauty. Gold powder is added to many creams in order to relieve the fair sex from wrinkles.

Gold is perfect for the zodiac signs of the elements of earth and fire. These are signs

The ancient jewelry of Sumer was revealed to the world by archaeologist Leonard Woolley, who conducted excavations on the territory of the Sumerian city of Ur in the 1920s. He discovered the tomb of Queen Pu-Abi (Shubad), which is 4.5 thousand years old. Treasures from the tomb of Pu-Abi, which, like the tomb of Tutankhamun, was not damaged by robbers, are kept in the University Museum of Pennsylvania and in the British Museum. Unfortunately, the part that remained in the Baghdad Museum was lost because the museum was looted during the war in 2003. The ancient Sumerian city of Ur was located on the territory of modernIraq, between Baghdad and the Persian Gulf, closer to the Gulf.

Reconstruction of Pu-Abi's costume. Jewelry weighs 14 pounds (approximately 6.5 kg).University of Pennsylvania Museum

There is still a debate going on - who wouldis this noble woman buried with such honor? She is often called a queen who may have ruled Ur on her own. According to another version, she was a priestess of Inanna. In ancient Sumer there was a practice of electing a king and his main task was to participate in the ritual during which he became the husband of the goddess Inanna. In this way, the king acquired divine nature and immortality, not only for himself, but also for his people. Pu-Abi was the incarnation of Inanna, the main female deity in Sumer. The ritual took place during the New Year celebration (in spring) and lasted several days. Inanna would later reincarnate as the goddess Ishtar in Ancient Babylon, the cult of Ishtar would spread throughout the East: Ashtaret, Astarte, Tanit are also her names. Ishtar is identified with the Egyptian Isis; in ancient times, Venus and Aphrodite would take her place.

One of the Sumerian myths, “Inanna's Descent into the Underworld,” says that the goddess was supposed to descend to the kingdom of her sister Ereshkigal, the goddess of the dead. Inanna had to go through 7 gates, each time removing parts of her royal robe and jewelry. Having passed the last, 7th gate, she found herself completely naked and helpless, like an ordinary mortal, and Ereshkigal turns her into a corpse. When Inanna died, life stopped on earth, birth stopped, love ceased, and the gods began to take measures to bring Inanna back. On the way back, having returned her jewels, Inanna regains her power. This fragment of the myth shows that there is much more meaning and meaning hidden in the jewelry of the Sumerian priestess Pu-Abi than we used to think.

An entire retinue of 26 people was buried with Pu-Abi. Guards, maids, musicians, courtiers yes we and the entire funeral procession with oxen, grooms and drivers. She was found covered with precious jewelry -gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate and chalcedony beads,with large gold earrings and a headdress of gold flowers inlaid with Indian carnelian and Afghan lapis lazuli. In the photo in the lower right corner there is a garter, in the lower right corner there is a bracelet or cuff.

Fish amulets

At her right shoulder laythree long gold pins with lapis lazuli heads and amulets: lapis lazuli and two gold in the form of fish, the 4th - gold in the form of two sitting gazelles.

Amulet in the form of two sitting gazelles (antelopes)

Amulets in the form of a golden sitting bull and calf were present in Pu-abi's headdress. The size of this bull is 1.5 x 1.5 cm, just a prototype of the trollebeads type set decorations.

Gold clasp

Pu-abi wore a very elaborate headdress that was placed over some sort of large base, possibly a wig.

Items made of lapis lazuli combined with gold were most abundant in the Puabi tomb. And, as you know, lapis lazuli is a stone that was not mined in Sumer; it could only be brought from one place -the still famous Badakhshan field in Afghanistan. It is now one of the poorest places in the world with the highest maternal mortality rate. From the former Soviet side, now from the Tajik side in the Gorno-Badakhshan region, lapis lazuli is also mined, but it does not have such a bright and rich color as Badakhshan from Afghanistan. However - the Pamirs are both here and there - it probably happens differently. The Badashkhan deposit was located at a considerable distance from Ur, and the very fact of the presence of jewelry and other items made of lapis lazuli in the ancient Sumerian city of Ur speaks volumes: on the one hand, about military, trade and other connections between these geographical regions, that lapis lazuli stone is very was highly regarded in Sumer and even about Sumerian artistic taste and aesthetics.

Let me digress a little to the Ishtar Gate from Babylon, from a later historical period

Huge gold earrings in the shape of a crescent were either earrings themselves or part of a headdress. Since the tissues have decayed, it is difficult to establish absolutely precisely. But many researchers, as well as Woolley himself, were sure that the headdress was a wig, and earrings are always put into the ears of mannequins during reconstructions.

This is one of the most ancient finds of earrings of this shape - it will be widespread for thousands of years and is found even in ancient Russian headdresses in the form of temple rings, this shape was called “lunnitsa”, sometimes aromatic oil was dripped into them.

The ancient jewelry found in the tomb amazes with its beauty, originality and special style. The jewelry of all the court ladies of Pu-Abi was very rich, almost the same as that of the priestess herself. In the photo - jewelry of one of the girls buried with Pu-abi - a headdress and necklaces made of the same “imported” precious stones - carnelian from India and lapis lazuli (lapis lazuli) from Afghanistan. British museum. In total, during excavations at Ur, Leonard Woolley found 20 headdresses of this type.

These are Pu-Abi rings. When she was found, she had 10 rings on her fingers.

Three such gold pins with carnelian were found near Pu-Abi. With their help, her cylindrical seals (again made of lapis lazuli) were attached to clothes.

3 personal cylinder seals of Pu-Abi are very important finds, since they brought her name to our time. The first print depicts a banquet - the servants are depicted as smaller in size than the royals. The name Pu-Abi in the upper left corner, other signs presumably meannin/eresh - "lady" or "queen". The banquet on the second seal includes images of a man and a woman. They drink beer through long straws to avoid getting foam or cloudy sediment into their mouths (vessels and long straws were also found in the tomb). On the third seal there is again a banquet scene, but with the participation of only women. Below right is a woman playing a harp.

This necklace of lapis lazuli with gold is from another excavation, but it also very clearly demonstrates the characteristics of ancient blue-gold Sumerian jewelry.

A forensic examination of Puabi's remains by the Natural History Museum in London revealed that she was approximately 40 years old when she died. Height is about 5 feet (about 1 m 50 cm). Her name and title are known from cuneiform inscriptions on seals.

The skeleton of Pu-Abi was strewn with a large number of gold jewelry and beads, and the researchers, in general, quite easily recreated the headdress and outfit of the priestess, including a lapis lazuli diadem with gold figurines. But initially, the images of a flowering and fruiting palm tree strengthened the opposite. Much later it was determined that these were pendants and not bushes. Moreover, perhaps these pendants contain a love meaning, since the palm branches are depicted in male and female manifestations. This symbolism is fully consistent with the idea of ​​the goddess of love.

The first photo is a flowering branch of a gold date palm (male), the second photo is a palm branch from the Arizona State University Arboretum. For a long time it was considered a bush or ear of wheat or oats and was attached to decorations during reconstruction with the ear facing up.

A golden fruiting branch of a date palm with carnelian, and on the right is a fruiting palm from the same arboretum.

Article "Date Sex in Mesopotamia!" about the date palm found on the website University of Pennsylvania Museum

Pu-Abi cosmetic bag made of lapis lazuli. The lid depicts a lion, Inanna's sacred animal, attacking a ram.

Gold shell for shadows. When it was found, it contained remnants of pigment. Many women buried with Pu-Abi had such shells. The most common color of the pigment is green, which was used as eye shadow.

Harp from the tomb of Pu-Abi. As you can see, the main materials are again lapis lazuli and gold

The oldest one was found in the tomb of Pu-Abi board game. It is considered the prototype of the game of backgammon. A box made of wood, hollow inside for storing chips. Inserts made of mother-of-pearl, red limestone and lapis lazuli. 2 players played. Squares with flower rosette meant "lucky". This motif is very common in Sumerian art - it probably had a special symbolic meaning.


This seal from Ur depicts Inanna, the goddess of love and war, with a lion next to her. This image especially illustrates Inanna's dual nature. On the one hand, Inanna is depicted here as the goddess of love, which is emphasized by her pose with a coquettishly but powerfully exposed leg, “trampling” the lion. On the other hand, the lion, the weapon behind her back indicates that she is also the goddess of war. The 8-pointed star (Venus) is another symbol of Inanna (reflected in a mirror on the print). Although Inanna is considered the goddess of love, she is not associated with such ideas as marriage and childbirth. She personifies carnal desire and always gets what she wants. Symbolizes violence, uncontrollability of human passions. And therefore the fury of a mortal battle and the destruction of war. In peacetime, she is not so formidable, but, as can be seen from the myths that have survived to our time in records (the first written language), Inanna is quite insidious, vindictive and vindictive. But self-confident, proud and beautiful, besides, as the Sumerians believed, they owed their goddess Inanna eternal life and rebirth after death.

Well, in conclusion - about one thing interesting decoration, related to the theme of Sumerian jewelry. This is a relatively modern piece of jewelry, commissioned by British explorer Henry Layard. from cylinder seals of Mesopotamia 2200 - 355 BC. for his wife Lady Enid Layard. At one time it caused a lot of noise.

We perceive gold, first of all, as an indicator of status and material well-being. But in fact, it is quite possible to take advantage of the magical properties of this difficult metal to attract good luck into your life, cure some diseases and even correct your character.
Magic properties of gold
Gold loves decisive, bright, creative people. It is considered the metal of Leo, the sunniest sign of the zodiac. However, even Leo will not benefit from gold if they betray their essence and turn out to be weak or petty. Therefore, gold jewelry is not recommended for those who are unable to fight. The maximum that gold can do for its owner in this case is to protect him from attacks. However, in most cases, such protection does more harm than it actually helps - the person relaxes, stops even trying to progress and develop, and finally loses vigilance. And when he loses or takes off the gold that protected him, he becomes helpless and open to any threat.
So, if you do not feel inner strength, change your gold jewelry more often and take it off at night. Or even choose silver or platinum.
Chains and pendants
Gold perfectly pacifies emotions - it makes a person more balanced, calm, and not subject to anger. It helps you remain independent of your mood and make decisions on a rational rather than emotional level. Therefore, it is recommended that easily excitable people wear gold around their neck as a chain or pendant so that the decoration or the end of the chain ends up in the solar plexus area. By the way, it is believed that these jewelry also reduce blood pressure.
Rings
A massive gold ring in the form of a signet without precious stones will make its owner more confident in his own abilities, give him power over people, and attract good luck and financial success to him. Such gold jewelry helps to clearly see all emerging opportunities and gives the determination to take risks where many benefits can be acquired. However, as already mentioned, gold increases the power of the strong, but does not give it to the weak. Therefore, wearing a gold signet as a talisman is recommended for active people who know how and love to experiment, take risks, and defend their interests.
Earrings
Gold earrings without inclusions of stones, other metals and enamel help a woman understand her true essence, get rid of complexes and outside influences. They make their owner more relaxed, freer to choose her own path. A woman is more willing to make contact, she has more fans and admirers. If you have a first date or an interview at a new job, then gold earrings can act as a powerful talisman that will bring you good luck.
And gold earrings help you hear important information in a timely manner and manage it wisely.
Bracelets
Gold bracelets are not recommended for those who are afraid of becoming emotionally dependent on another person. And also for those who are too susceptible to the influence of others. For such people, bracelets become bonds, shackles that negatively affect the entire life process. If you want to neutralize the negative impact of bracelets, then choose jewelry not made purely of gold, but with pendants made of stones that suit you. In this case, gold will cease to be a magical item, but will become just a piece of jewelry.
But if you are a person in a creative or constructive profession who does something with your own hands - draws, sculpts, builds - then a gold bracelet will serve you well - your hands will become truly “golden”, and real masterpieces will emerge from under them.
Gold and healing Gold is also credited with medicinal properties. For example, it is believed that if you hold gold in your mouth, a sore throat or aching tooth will go away. The following remedy is also used for toothache: take a gold object without stones and immerse it in clean water, leave for about an hour, warm to room temperature and rinse the aching tooth every 15 minutes. Repeat the procedure 4-5 times, but do not remove the gold from the water.
And if you apply gold to diseased areas for a while, you can cure or at least alleviate pain in the joints, spine, and liver. To reduce pain in the spine, it is recommended to roll a smooth wedding ring from top to bottom - from the neck to the tailbone. There is no need to roll from bottom to top, especially with low pressure.
Naturally, you should not replace gold therapy with conventional drug treatment under the strict supervision of competent doctors. But this treatment can be supplemented.
You just need to take into account that you can be allergic to gold - the skin under the rim of the ring may begin to peel off, and a small rash may appear on the body from the chain, pendant and earrings. In this case, refuse to wear this metal - for some reason you are incompatible with it, it does not suit you.
Ancient doctors believed that gold relieves sadness and depression. But this is where the stereotype could come into play - if you have a lot of gold, then why should you be sad and despondent?
The magic of gold was also used in love potions. It was believed that wine infused with a golden ring could inspire love, since a piece of hot sun appeared in the wine.
Conspiracies for gold
Nowadays, as in ancient times, gold spells are often used. However, it is worth considering that for such magical manipulations, gold is taken of the highest standard, that is, it must contain a completely insignificant percentage of foreign impurities.
Conspiracy for beauty
This plot is made at dawn, on the waxing moon, preferably on Tuesday. Take a clay bowl with clean (spring or well) water and place a gold ring without a stone in the water. And from the center to the edges of the bowl, begin to move the ring in the water, as if in a spiral. At the same time say:
The power of the ring for my face, to be as beautiful as a ring, without end. Gold in the water, water on my face, give me beauty, golden ring.
Leave the ring in the water for a day, and place the bowl itself on the windowsill so that the sun's rays fall on it during the day. Wash yourself with the enchanted water for three days, reciting the same incantation.
Wealth plot
This plot is also done on the waxing moon, preferably on the second lunar day. Take a new high-quality wallet and put a large bill or gold coin in it. Wrap the gold chain around the wallet three times. And say the spell:
Just as a golden purse is wrapped in a chain, so more money is added to my house, gold to gold, money to money, wealth itself sticks to my hands. Money will fill my wallet as soon as the horn of the new moon flashes. My word is strong!
Then hide the wallet with the chain in a secluded place until the full moon. After the full moon, remove the chain, it can be worn. You can also use a wallet, just do not spend the banknote with which you performed the ritual. Place it separately and let it lie there for at least a month.
In conclusion, let me note that, like any other talisman, amulet or amulet, gold helps only those who believe in its power, who ask for help and thank them for what they have done. And it also loves when it is looked after, when it is cleaned and shined. So, if you want to not only wear jewelry, but also benefit from the power of this wonderful solar metal, treat it with due respect.
Nadezhda Popova

Even in ancient times, gold began to be mined along the rivers of Africa and Asia. The ease with which this metal could be processed inspired craftsmen to create jewelry from it. The beauty and versatility of gold as a material was quickly appreciated.

Ancient jewelry - why made of gold?

Gold is so malleable that it can be hammered when cold into thin, almost transparent sheets. It is so plastic that it can be drawn into thin and quite strong threads. All this made it possible to perform filigree work with gold from early times. Its color and brilliance were equated with the sun, and its resistance to corrosion (which makes it very difficult to determine the age of early gold jewelry) made it a symbol of permanence.

Wearing gold was a symbol of wealth and power, it was accessible to few - this is the main difference between the ancients jewelry from modern ones. Today the production of gold jewelry is widespread, they are available to everyone.

Most of the mined gold is used in jewelry. This is nothing new; gold was used to make jewelry long before the first coins appeared.

Sumerian gold

The earliest jewelry found dates back to Sumerian civilization which flourished around 3000 BC in the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in the south of modern Iraq. Both men and women wore gold. The variety of decorations greatly surprised archaeologists, who discovered treasures in the Royal Tomb on the site of the ancient city of Ur, the capital of the Sumerian state.

In addition to the king’s golden helmet, decorated with great grace with an impeccable minting technique, and the queen’s headdress made of very naturalistic golden beech leaves, various earrings, bracelets, as well as weaving chains were found “ Fox's tail”, which are widely popular in our time. According to a jewelry historian Guido Gregorietti, « Sumerian jewelry almost completely covered the entire spectrum of trends that would appear in jewelry throughout history" In his opinion, " in fact, there were more varieties of jewelry at that time than today».

2600-2500 BC III Early Dynastic period. Ur, Mesopotamia, Sumerian civilization. Gold, lapis lazuli, carnelian.

Gold jewelry in the culture of the ancient Egyptians

Unlike the Sumerians, the ancient Egyptians had large reserves of gold. This metal was mined in Nubia, an area between the Nile and the Red Sea, south of the modern Egyptian city of Aswan and north of Khartoum, the capital of modern Sudan. There is an assumption that the name Nubia comes from the ancient Egyptian word " nub" - gold.

The skill of jewelers increased very quickly. The Egyptians mastered the art of alloying gold to increase its hardness and produce different color variations ( alloying - adding other metals to improve the properties of the base metal). They developed casting technology, including lost wax casting. It is widely used in our time - jewelers call it “wax”.

It is believed that the Egyptians learned to determine the purity of precious metals by their color when heated in a fire. The most significant legacy of ancient Egyptian jewelers is the treasures found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, who died around 1350 BC. The items in the tomb—necklaces, breast ornaments, earrings and a mask on the mummy's head, made of pure gold, chased and polished—were described by archaeologist Howard Carter, who found the tomb and was the first to see them, as “most amazing things.” The tomb of the boy king, who ascended the throne at the age of 10 and reigned for approximately the same period, has preserved for us the greatest monuments of ancient Egyptian art, which evoke admiration several millennia later. Tutankhamun's body was placed in an elaborate sarcophagus made of solid gold sheets 2 mm thick, weighing more than 110 kg. On the mummy's head was mask made of forged gold weighing 9 kg. It so realistically repeats the facial features of the pharaoh that it is even easy to notice the similarity with existing images of the pharaoh’s ancestors.

Death mask of Tutankhamun. Made of pure gold and inlaid with colored glass and precious stones. It was adjacent directly to the mummy in a multi-layered sarcophagus.

The tomb also contained throne made of wood, lined with gold and decorated with faience, enamel, glass and precious stones. On the throne was depicted Tutankhamun, sitting in a free pose (which is not typical for images of pharaohs of that time), and his wife Ankhesenamun covering his shoulder with incense.

The treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb are usually displayed in the Cairo Museum, but always attract millions of visitors when occasionally exhibited in other countries. They are symbols of humanity's success in processing and making gold jewelry. The forms of Egyptian goldwork remained remarkably constant for almost two thousand years until, after the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great, they began to be replaced by Greek and then Roman styles.

Gold of the Minoan civilization

The emergence of Greek jewelry is associated with the flourishing of the Minoan, and then the Mycenaean civilizations that replaced it. No items related to Greek and dated earlier than 1800 BC have yet been found.

For the first time in history, Minoan craftsmen from the island of Crete began to create gold items in the form of chains with the type of weaving " anchor", which are widespread in our time. Widely known are the gold masks and massive gold rings found by amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann during excavations at the end of the 19th century at the site of ancient Mycenae.

The decline of the Mycenaean civilization came around 1100 BC, followed by the so-called "Greek Dark Ages", and gold jewelry reappears around 800 BC. By 500 B.C. Greek jewelers produced beautiful, complex pieces that formed a recognizable, classic Greek style decorations The political instability of Greece, as well as the growth of Greek trading centers in southern Italy, Egypt and along the Black Sea coast, led to a widespread settlement of Greek craftsmen. By the time around 330 B.C. Alexander the Great created his Greek empire from Egypt to the borders of India; the Greek style of making gold jewelry was dominant everywhere.

Gold ring with engraving. Minoan civilization, Crete, 15-14th century BC.

Etruscan gold jewelry

From about 700 BC. The art of making gold items originates in Etruria (modern Tuscany) in Italy. Although the Etruscan style was relatively short-lived, it is known for the increased complexity of its products.

Etruscan masters achieved especially outstanding success in the use of technology granulation, bringing it almost to perfection. Granulation is the process of attaching thousands of small gold balls to a base, forming contours and patterns that create a unique sense of structure and light. The granulation technique has been used by many craftsmen in various countries since 2000 BC and is also used in modern products. But very few schools achieved a level of excellence similar to that of the Etruscans. Most likely, this amazing elegance and complexity of the work is due to the lack of a sufficient amount of gold, when the craftsmen had to pay more attention to the quality of the work than to the quantity.

Around 300 BC. the Greek style begins to prevail in Italy. Etruscan traditions disappear until the 19th and 20th centuries of our time, before attempts to revive them by jewelers of modern times.

Etruscan fibula (clothing clasp)

Gold of the ancient Romans

As Rome grew into the greatest empire of the ancient world, stretching from Great Britain to Persia, it also inherited Greece. In general, we can say that in the art of jewelry Rome inherited the Greek jewelers of the East and Celtic traditions from the West.

Roman jewelers, although they had undoubted skill, preferred clear and precise designs in their work. geometric figures and patterns, in contrast to Greek jewelry with elaborate images of gods, mythical characters and leaves. Gold was in demand in Roman society, and important Romans took pride in their jewelry collections. However, it was not the main “character” - the real passion of the Romans was precious stones. Roman jewelers used gold as a setting for emeralds, sapphires, aquamarines, olivines, diamonds, and the increasingly popular pearls. Even then, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and India became major suppliers of precious stones. The Romans also introduced the widespread practice of using gold coins.

Roman ring with garnets. 1st century BC.

Gold jewelry art of Byzantium

As the history of the Roman Empire progressed, gold jewelry became increasingly rich. By 325, Constantine the Great declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. From this time on, the simple and sharp forms of early Roman jewelry gave way to more complex and elegant pieces with brightly colored stones.

From this period begins the Byzantine period of Roman history, when the capital was Byzantium (Constantinople, now Istanbul). The decorations become ornate, airy, and lace-like. Gradually, due to changes along the eastern trade routes, the supply of precious stones decreased. Gold items began to become part of the symbolism of the dominant Christian church and the growing power of kings. During the Dark Ages and the early Middle Ages, the talents of jewelers served mainly the church and state. The 6th and early 7th centuries are marked by excellent examples of Byzantine jewelry, which include coins.

However, the growing power of Islam and, to some extent, the shift to less ostentatious luxury in the private and ecclesiastical life of Byzantium meant that the sun was setting on the ancient traditions of Greek and Roman goldsmiths.

Characteristic Byzantine bracelet with precious stones and pearls

Continuation of the article “History of gold jewelry”: .