Articles & News About Money & Coin Collecting

The History of Gold Jewelry, Part 2

In the first article of this series we have seen how gold jewelry was developed in the ancient Sumerian civilization as well as in Egypt and Crete. The technique of making fine gold jewelry spread to Greece, to Northern Europe and to the Celtic people as well. Now let?s look at the role that gold jewelry played in the pre-Roman era and during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

In the 7th century BC the Etruscans of central Italy were also making fine gold jewelry. The Etruscans perfected the difficult technique of granulation, a technique in which the surface of the metal is covered with tiny gold grains.

In Greece during the Hellenistic Age (the period just after the time of Alexander the Great, 323-30 BC) Greek jewelry was characterized by its great variety of forms and fine workmanship. Naturalistic wreaths were made for the head, and a variety of miniatures -- human, animal, and plant -- were made into necklaces and earrings.

The Heracles-knot, developed in Greece, remained a popular motif into Roman times.

Colorful jewelry was an important characteristic of the Migration period (4th to 8th centuries AD) which followed the collapse of the Roman Empire. Mediterranean goldsmiths continued to produce refined jewelry but the jewelry of the European tribes dominated the period. They produced abstract styles and worked in enamels and inlaid stones. This is also the period of the penannular, or nearly circular, brooches of Ireland and Scotland.

From the 9th to the 13th century, the technique of cloisonn? -- enameling on gold?became widespread in Europe and the Near East, with the best jewelry of this type emanating from Constantinople (present day Istanbul) the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

Gold Jewelry in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

In the year 962 AD, just after the creation of the Holy Roman Empire (located in Central Europe) there was a fusion of Mediterranean and European civilizations and this had an effect on the jewelry as well.

The Emperor and the Church became the patrons of the arts. Jewelers worked in courts and monasteries. During this era, jewelry design was based on the setting in gold of precious stones and pearls in colorful patterns. Precious stones, which were polished but used in natural forms, were credited with having magic powers. For example, Sapphire, symbolic of chastity and spiritual peace, was used for papal rings.

Antique cameo gems were prized and when set in early medieval jewelry and were given a Christian interpretation. Until this era, European jewelry was produced mainly in imperial and monastic workshops. However, by the 13th century a system of independent guilds of goldsmiths was established in European capitals.

Gothic jewelry reflects the chivalrous ethic of the aristocratic society of this time in its symbolism and frequent use of amatory inscriptions. Jewelry, which has always had close affinities with modes of dress, frequently took the form of brooches and other fastenings such as belt clasps.

The ring brooch, the most common form of jewelry in the 13th century, was probably given as a token of love or betrothal. A pendant would occasionally be used as a Reliquary. The use of earrings ceased entirely, because women wore elaborate jeweled headdresses that concealed the ears. About 1300, French jewelers began to use translucent enamels over engraved silver or gold.

In the next article of this series we will look at the history of gold jewelry during the past five hundred years.

Lewis Jewelers is proud to carry the full line of Pandora Jewelry. Pandora bracelets, Pandora charms and Pandora beads are only a part of the collection. For more information, Lewis Jewelers, 2000 West Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48103, 877-88-LEWIS or visit the website.

Other Article Sites

findabook.com  moneycd.info  a-mortgage.info   about-lemon-laws.info  aboutstudentloans.info
all-about-publishing.info  auctions-articles.info  bestcollege-university.com  bestispconnection.com
biblefolder.com  blogger-website.com  books-used.info  brokers-guide.info  buywindows.info  cable-dsl.info
career-miner.com  carpel-tunnel.info  cashinaflash.info  cashloanreviews.info  casinobell.com  chat-house.info
clearmycredit.info  collegeloantips.info  crones.info  depression-articles.info   dirnic.net  dishguides.info
divers-below.com  expodog.info   financewizz.com  fire-insurance.info  getgood.info  handleit.net   it-idea.info
health-supplies.info  hosting-right.com  insidealert.com  insurance-facts.info  jobs-employment.info
justgood.info  lookgold.net   lowcost-travel.info  money-source.info  myhostzone.info  numisblog.com
peoplesearchfinder.info  pr-articles.info  realeas.com   refinancing-guides.info  spyware-remove.info
telelot.info  the-law.info   toppaid.info  travel-deals.info  travelcorrect.com  wedding-guide-site.com
your-blog.info  your-credit.info

Coin Collecting At FindaBook.com
Search For Books On Coin Collecting

New Jewish Coins Use Old Wisdom To Aid In Life Balancing
SoulCoin offers timeless wisdom through unique coins. SoulCoin has just released The Humility and Joy Coin Set, two 1.5 inch brass coins based on a well-known parable of Jewish wisdom. The coins help people balance their approach to life so that they can focus on achieving their goals in a positive, satisfying, yet humble way.

Historical Silver Dollar Value Trends Reveal Coins Destined for Bullish Futures
Analysis of U.S. Peace silver dollars (minted 1921-1935) indicate only a few dates of this artistically acclaimed coin series are good bets to enjoy strong price advancements in the future. This conclusion is based on proven performance over a period of many years.

Leading Coin Supply Company "Wizard Coin Supply" Launches Book Advisory
Wizard Coin Supply, a global provider of coin supplies and coin collecting accessories, is proud to announce the launch of its New Book Advisory.

Hammered Gold and Hammered Silver Coins: Evaluating Their Price
When it comes to evaluating the price of hammered coins it is much more challenging than it is for other items that are still manufactured today. That is why both buyers and sellers have to be extra vigilant in ensuring that they buy and sell for a fair price. If you are considering selling or buying hammered coins, make sure that you seek professional advice before doing so and that you do not simply jump in at the first offer.

Collecting Rare Old Coins
---------- Getting your coin collection on the go isnt as tricky as you might consider and there are a quantity of avenues you can follow. Almost all of it depends nevertheless on why you desire to become a coin collector. If youre doing it just as a peaceful pastime then you have no problem and can get started pretty much off the bat.

Gold Coins and Gold Bullion Remain a Safe Place For Your Money
The Bull and The Bear are continuing to bang heads Wall Street and even Main Street USA, and I am sure even your street is in shambles

Buy Silver Coins With Confidence: A Guide To Selecting Reputable Silver Bullion Dealers
With the price of silver exploding in recent years, there seems to be no lack of silver bullion dealers advertising their services online Trying to find a reputable dealer can be a bit confusing for the novice silver coins investor

Coins Minted In Gold, Silver And Platinum As Investments In Metal
Coin collecting goes back over many centuries. It is man's inborn nature to collect something. And coins are one of the most popular collectable objects. The collection of coins, whether by professionals or amateurs, is called Numismatics. This article is a list with the most popular coins made from precious metals. People always collect coins, especially ones which are minted from precious metals like gold, silver and in later years from platinum. The early technology of coin-making was very primitive for many centuries. And many sorts of coins had very varied shapes.

American Eagle Gold Coins: Why These Gold Bullion Coins Are a Worthy Investment
There's never been a better time to buy American Eagle Gold Coins An economic recession is almost assured

Challenge Coins - A Special Type of Coins
For your convenience we have published this article in order to let you know of everything related to the Challenge Coins. Enjoy ?

Buying Coins at Local Estate Sales: A Shopping Guide For Collectors of Estate Sale Coins
What Is An Estate Sale An estate sale is generally a liquidation of physical assets from a home

Old Coin Value - What's Important
Thank you for being interested in our work. We hope to be of service with the following guidelines. Everything you have as probably some sort of value attached to it. Sometimes this value is founded on how you feel about a certain item, while other items are given values assigned by others. The same applies to old coins and other coins in you collection. While professional coin dealers or expert coin collectors will know the old coin value for various coins, we may have no idea about this. This is the main reason why you should acquire as much knowledge as you can about evaluating old coin value and what their price is. The knowledge you will gain is priceless. You will be able to get a ruff idea about what you can expect to get from the...

Knowing Your Coin Collection Value
Back in the olden days, people hoarded coins for the sole reason of the value they can get from them Centuries later, people transformed that mindless activity into an elite art called coin collecting

Coin Collecting: Tips On Quarter Collecting
Anyone and everyone could make collecting coins one?s hobby. However it is believed that at present 106 million Americans are into the hobby of collecting quarters. Collecting quarters involves men, women, and children of all ages.