Ethnic Jewelry Through History

Ethnic Jewelry Through History as seen by an author in 1907. Jewelry is the collective name applied to precious and semi precious stones mounted for wear, and to small ornamental works in gold, silver, mixed metals, amber, coral and other materials. The use of personal ornaments dates from the earliest periods of which we have any knowledge, and it characterizes every part of the human race, whether civilized or native. It is probable that the wearing of gold and silver ornaments immediately followed the discovery of those metals. Probably gold, from the form in which it is usually found and the beauty of its color, was the first to be used in this way, and also, from its ductility and capacity of receiving polish, it was the first to invite artistic skill in its working. Gold ornaments, displaying a high degree of skill in their manufacture, have been recovered from the ruins of Mycenae and Hissarlik, and from the tombs of ancient Egypt. The gold work of ancient Egypt, though executed nearly 3000 years ago, if of the highest quality, and in many points of excellence it would be impossible to surpass it by the most improved methods of modern times.

Many beautiful specimens of the work of the ancient Greek and Roman Jewelers are preserved in the museums of Europe, and a large number of very interesting specimens have been obtained from the tombs of Etruria. At the present day the Oriental jewelers preserve the same primitive methods of working that prevailed centuries ago. Their great manual dexterity, and fine sense of color and beauty, however, enable them to obtain by simple means some very excellent results, and the work they produce, though unequal in finish to that of the European workmen, is generally perfect in design and combination. New York is the chief center of the jewelery trade of the United States. In Europe the great centers for jewelery are to be found in the cities of Paris, Vienna, London and Birmingham.

This information, although correct in most cases, was written in 1907!