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Ancient Jewelry I’d Like to Own

It always amazes me to see historic jewelry in museums.  I’ve just assumed items so valuable and fragile would not have survived the centuries, but then there they are, neatly lined up in the display cases.  Once again proving that everything old is new again, there’s a lot of ancient jewelry that I’d wear today.  Here are some of personal favorites!

Egyptian bead jewelry

Gorgeous Egyptian necklace from the Oriental Institute in Chicago.  (Photo: Daydream Tourist)

Fayum mummy portraits from Ptolemaic Egypt

Two well dressed ladies immortalized in their Fayum mummy portraits dating to Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt, approximately 300 BC – 200 AD, (Left) British Museum London, (right) Louvre, Paris. The Ancients knew jewelry!

Gold necklace with emerald and variscite beads

Simple is best with this 3rd Century AD Roman Gold necklace with emerald and variscite beads (Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC)

Hierapolis Roman jewelry

Necklaces and earrings from the Greek and Roman “resort town” of Hierapolis in Turkey. (Photo: Daydream Tourist)

hellenic earrings

This pair of Greek Gold and Agate Earrings from approximately 1st century BC sold for $60,000 at auction in 2012. (Photo: Christie’s)

Egyptian jewelry

This set of necklaces were found on mummy of your girl, Myt, from Egypt who lived in approximately 2051–2030 B.C. The set includes a large Carnelian strand, a string of big gold beads and lots of complementary small beaded necklaces. Very stylish for a child! (Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC)

jewelry Fayum mummy Getty

This Fayum mummy has my absolute favorite earrings. (Getty, Los Angeles)

Mycenae gold jewelry necklace

Some of my favorite gold jewelry from the Mycenae grave collection at the Athens Archaeological Museum (Photo: Daydream Tourist)

gold Roman earrings

These gold Roman earrings, circa 1st Century B.C./A.D., sold at Bonhams Auction House in 2006 for £480.

3 Comments Post a comment
  1. I’m glad I’m not the only one with a museum jewellery fetish. Love your choice of pieces too! All very wearable……

    Like

    July 26, 2013
    • Thanks! I thought I saw fingerprints on the jewelry cases, must have been you 😉 You’re right, these things are all so wearable.

      Like

      July 26, 2013
  2. Very beautiful.

    Like

    October 15, 2013

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