So you think you know everything about birthstones, and there is only ONE set of birthstones, right? I assure there are many sets of birthstones! Here is a long list of birthstones from many cultures. By no means is this a definitive list. I could not find lists from some cultures; this does not mean they do not have a set of birthstones.
2 Comments
Men and women have worn jewelry since time immemorial. The idea behind many traditions was to show status or to ward of evil, but at some point jewelry became more that just status symbols and amulets. Slaves in various cultures were known to wear bracelets to show who they belonged to. Eventually, jewelry became what it is now: something to adorn ourselves with, to make ourselves look or feel better. In some cases, it is still a status symbol.
I've scoured the internet for facts about jewelry. The most amusing fact is , apparently, in the United States it is spelled “J-e-w-e-l-r-y,” and everywhere else it is spelled “J-e-w-e-l-l-r-y.” Some more facts for you: The word “jewelry” comes from jewel, from the old French jouel, which comes from the Latin jocale. Jocale means “plaything.” Cro-Magnon men and women wore necklaces and bracelets made from bones, teeth, berries and stones all threaded on animal sinew. Snail shell beads, found in the ancient Blombos Cave in Africa, dated back 75,000 years. In Russia, there have been ancient bracelets carved from mammoth tusk. Emeralds were mined by the Egyptians as early as 3500 BC. In many cultures, ancient and modern, jewelry is thought to ward of evil. The Egyptian Ankh is one example. Can you believe people used to swallow whole pearls because it was believed they were a source of purity, and can ward off the evil influences of disease? Egypt and Mesopotamia were the first two ancient civilizations who started organized production of jewelry. The ancient Chinese loved silver much more than gold and loved jade even more. Silver has been used in jewelry for over six thousand years. Copper jewelry appeared about seven thousand years ago. There's a museum in Austria, The Museum of Ancient History, that found a female jeweler's grave. This washed away the myth that all ancient jewelers were men. In ancient Rome, only some high ranking people were allowed to wear rings. Murano, famous for its glass makers, has been making glass beads as early as the 1200s, and their necklaces are still sought after today. In 1477, Maximilian of Austria gave his soon-to-be wife, Mary of Burgundy, a ring as a promise of marriage. Thus, this is the first known engagement ring. I will mention that I did read one article that stated that Pope Nicholas I required all Christians women to wear one if they were getting married. Again, that was only one article. Why is it called the “ring finger”? The story goes that people used to believe that that particular finger had a vein connect straight to the heart. Have you ever heard of “Black Jet”? No, it's not a band. It was a jewelry material that was made popular during the reign of Queen Victoria. It's made from fossilized coal formed over 180 million years ago. I wonder if that is where we get the phrase “jet black” when talking about someone's hair? The largest pearl on record weighed 14 pounds. The largest diamond is the Culinan Diamond, which is on England's Crown Jewels. The Star of Asia is one of the largest sapphires known in the world and is currently housed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. In some African cultures, enormous earrings are a sign of masculinity, power and status. Twenty-four carat gold is 99.9% pure. Platinum alloys range from 900 (90% pure) to 950 (95% pure). It wasn't until 1896 that platinum was used in jewelry and Cartier can claim to be the first jeweler to use platinum. A pink gem called Kunzite will lose its intensity if left in the sunlight for too long. For this reason, it was originally known as “the Evening Stone.” |
AuthorLady Samantha's Blog Archives
March 2021
|