Gemstones From Ancient Egypt And Their Use Today

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Ever since their origin thousands of years ago, Ancient Egyptians have lead the way in architecture, design and culture. Their incredible achievements continue to fascinate modern day historians and enthusiasts alike, as archaeological finds uncover more secrets about their innovative history. Although mostly recognized as the home of the Great Pyramids, mummified tombs, Pharaohs, Cleopatra and even as the birthplace of the 365-day calendar, many believe that it is Ancient Egypt’s jewelry and gemstones that are their most prized creations. Jewelry was worn as personal adornment, social status and even protection. While silver was originally the most popular metal to embellish their most prized gemstones and colored glass with, the discovery of Gold defined the rise in Egyptian jewelry. Gold was often considered to be blessed by the Gods or even thought to be the flesh of the Gods, because it never tarnished. Shortly after its discovery, Ancient Egyptians used gold for everything; from intricate jewelry pieces including wide collars, rings, earrings and bracelets, to religious statues, temple art and funeral art.

The Ancient Egyptians have a rich history of excessive personal adornment and their taste in jewelry only further reiterated this. While the lower class usually donned jewelry of copper, colorful stones and faience, the upper class adorned themselves in lavish amounts of gold, silver, lapis, gemstones and sometimes even faience too. Faience was made from ground quartz and then mixed with a colorant that was then heated and molded to mimic more natural and expensive stones. The most popular faience color was a blue-green shade, which mimicked turquoise. Statues of Gods and Kings were extravagantly decorated with beautiful gemstones and the deceased were adorned in jewelry to take with them to the afterlife. Many examples of their lavish jewelry taste are depicted on carvings and tomb paintings.

Ancient Egypt’s most treasured Gemstones

Aside from gold, Ancient Egyptian jewelry was often made from precious and semi-precious stones. One of the most treasured gemstones of Ancient Egypt was Lapis Lazuli. The stone was often thought to be of Godly importance and it is widely believed the Cleopatra even used powdered down Lapis Lazuli as an eye adornment. Lapis Lazuli was also used in the death mask of Tutankhamun to surround his eyes and eyebrows.

Along with Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise was one of the most treasured gemstones in Ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians sourced their Turquoise from the mines in the Sinai Peninsula, which are still used today! Similarly, to Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise was used to adorn the necks of ancient Pharohs and was often carved into the shape of scarab beetles and used as a protective talisman.

Ancient Egyptian jewelry is popular today

Ancient Egyptian jewelry and gemstones remain as popular today as they were over 5,000 years ago. As more hidden treasures are discovered by archaeologists and further analyzed by historians, Ancient Egyptian Gemstones and artifacts are increasing in value and popularity. Styles and designs from thousands of years ago are still influencing today’s current jewelry market.

Ancient Egyptian jewelry and gemstones make for a beautiful gift for a loved one. Browse through beautiful jewelry and artifacts from Ancient Egypt to give a loved one a lasting momento from history. Ancient Egyptian jewelry and gemstones are also fantastic collectors’ items and can increase in value over time.

Whether you prefer Ancient Egyptian inspired jewelry or genuine artefacts and coins from that era, Gem Rock Auctions has a vast range of Ancient Egyptian Gemstones and jewelry to suit everyone’s style and budget.

Scarabs

Ancient Egyptian jewelry often incorporated important symbolism and motifs. Egyptians rarely ever created anything that didn’t have an underlying meaning and their jewelry was no exception. One of the most popular symbols in Ancient Egyptian history was the scarab beetle. It symbolized rebirth and the Egyptians associated it with the divine manifestation of the early morning sun, Khepri. It was believed that, like a scarab beetle that deposits its eggs into a ball of dung, the sun was rolled around in the heavens by a giant beetle and reborn each day. People also wore scarab necklaces with engraved prayers for health and safety. Browse our collection of Ancient Egyptian scarab jewelry here!

Artifacts

At Gem Rock Auctions, we also have a wide range of Ancient Egyptian Artefacts. These unearthed treasures include Egyptian Faience Glass from as early as 60BC, Ancient Egyptian beads and bone jewelry, and even rare protective Talismans. Browse our collection of rare Ancient Egyptian artifacts and very own piece of history!

Ancient Egyptian coins

If you are after more of a collector’s item, we also have a wide range of Ancient Egyptian Coins for you to browse through. Ancient Egyptian coins offer an insight into the past and have often been used by historians to show the rise and fall of different civilizations and dynasties. Browse our collection here and discover Ancient Egyptian coins that date back thousands of years ago and offer an insight into Ancient history.