The Cornerstone of Modern Western Jewelry - Ancient Greek Jewelry

THE CORNERSTONE OF MODERN WESTERN JEWELRY - ANCIENT GREEK JEWELRY
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Ancient Greece is characterized by artwork that is moving and dazzling. The designs were unique, and a person could easily be inspired to feel like they are back in time when the accessories and jewelry were created, where they have their meaning and story. The artwork was made using embellished and precious metals such as pearls and natural gemstones. The jewelry acted as a symbol of sophistication, wealth, and taste. This paper will cover the historical importance and significance of jewelry from ancient Greece while also detailing the styles, themes, and production methods.[Acar, Özgen. "Kyme: An Ancient Center of Jewelry Production in Asia Minor." In The Adventure of the Illustrious Scholar, pp. 525-536.]
The ancient Greeks were very dominant, and they traveled widely. Their adventures also mean that they were also inspired by other nations and cultures such as Egyptians, Assyrians, and Romans. The influence is portrayed in their jewelry and fashion as they included elements derived from different cultures. For instance, Romans inspired the Greeks due to precious stones such as aquamarine, amethyst, and topaz. The Ancient Greeks rely on jewelry to represent their social status or rank of their spiritual deities. The Greeks were very spiritual, clearly supported by numerous gods they worshiped, such as Helios and Zeus. The artists often focused on representing their gods in the artwork. An example is a complex necklace composed of granulated work used to honor the goddess of the moon called Selene (figure 1).[Hansen, Svend, P. W. Stockhammer, and J. Maran. "Key Techniques in the Production of Metals in the 6th and 5th Millennia BCE: Prerequisites, Preconditions and Consequences." Stockhammer & Maran (eds) (2017): 136-46.] [Ibid, 67.]
Figure 1: Necklace
Even though most of the artwork in ancient Greece is focused on celebrating and honoring the gods, other creations were used as fashion accessories to show wealth, power, and status. People wanted expensive and unique jewelry that is rare to find. The current collection of jewelry from the Roman period comes from graves. During ancient times, the Greeks considered jewelry valuable and important and required travel to the afterlife. That is why people were buried with their jewelry rather than living it with their living family members. Jewelry was very important, and a person could wear it for the rest of their lives.[Llewellyn-Jones, Lloyd. "Persianisms: The Achaemenid Court in Greek Art, 380–330 BCE." Iranian Studies 50, no. 6 (2017): 765-786.Ibid, 778.]
Themes in Ancient Greek Jewelry
The themes portrayed by the ancient Greek artwork changed with time, whether from the Bronze Age, Hellenistic Age, or Classical Greek. The jewelry styles had different themes, which marked the signature of the period when they were created. Some of the themes portrayed by the artwork are outlined below.[Ibid, 780.]
Gods and Goddesses
Ancient Greeks were very religious, and they believed in numerous gods. The artists often made artwork with gold since they believed that god only manifested in precious metals. Eros was one of the most popular gods transformed into a gold figurine, and the artwork still exists today (figure 2). The gods and goddesses were popular often since the jewelry acted as a symbol of physical protection that the person wearing it gains from the gods. Owners of various accessories such as rings believed that it would bring them good luck in the long term.[Llewellyn-Jones, Lloyd. "Persianisms: The Achaemenid Court in Greek Art, 380–330 BCE." Iranian Studies 50, no. 6 (2017): 765-786.]
Figure 2: Earrings depicting the god of love, Eros.
Animals and Insects
Another emergent theme that was common in Greek jewelry was animals and insects. Many artists started incorporating animals such as sheep, cows, snakes, goats, and other common types. The Assyrians liked ram heads which were a common feature of earrings, and then it started to become a popular theme being portrayed in Roman and Greek jewelry (figure 3).[Konstantinidi‐Syvridi, E. (2019). Jewelry. A Companion to the Archaeology of Early Greece and the Mediterranean, 603-626.]
Figure 3: Ram heads which are used on a bracelet.
Techniques
The Greek artwork also involves the use of filigree techniques. Many artists made granule work during the Classical Greek period, a feature of laurel wreaths, rosettes, and bracelets. During the Golden era, gold was the metal of choice for jewelry. Gold sheets were forced to create intricately and delicately detailed jewelry meant for the elites (figure 3).[Llewellyn-Jones, Lloyd. "Persianisms: The Achaemenid Court in Greek Art, 380–330 BCE." Iranian Studies 50, no. 6 (2017): 765-786.]
Figure 4: Aegean bracelet using filigree technique.
The filigree technique is a delicate method of working with precious metals. It was mostly practiced by ancient jewelers who solder and twist tiny threats and beads to create artistic work.[Hansen, Svend, P. W. Stockhammer, and J. Maran. "Key Techniques in the Production of Metals in the 6th and 5th Millennia BCE: Prerequisites, Preconditions and Consequences." Stockhammer & Maran (eds) (2017): 136-46.]
The Greeks also used celestial bodies to find inspiration to make jewelry. They worshiped the sky, and they also incorporated celestial objects like the moon and sun in their designs. An example is the moon goddess, Selene, who was honored via a crescent-shaped earring; they also included granule work (figure 5).[Konstantinidi‐Syvridi, E. (2019). Jewelry. A Companion to the Archaeology of Early Greece...