5/12/2019 7 Oldest Pieces of Jewelry in the World - Ancient Facts

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Lists  7 Oldest Pieces of Jewelry in the World

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Who doesn’t like jewelry? Today, one can nd all forms of jewelry almost Like Page Learn More

everywhere. It’s the vital part of literally every culture in the world. From Be the first of your friends to like this
diamonds, bling-blings, metals to wood and leather and so much more –
the possibilities and combinations are virtually limitless. The infatuation
with jewelry as the ornament of one’s beauty or belonging to a certain
class lasts ever since the dawn of modern man – and even before. Let’s take LATEST ARTICLES
a stroll down a jewelry memory lane and discover the 7 oldest pieces in the
entire world.

The Neanderthal Jewelry from Croatia

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130,000-year-old Neanderthal Jewelry, Croatia, via AncientOrigins

In late 2013 a professor who’s incharge of the Neanderthal Collection

deriving from the site of Krapina, Croatia, took a fresh look at some eagle
talons found among the items. She noticed numerous cut marks on the
talons and realized that they must have been used as jewelry. An
international team that was later assembled had con rmed professor
Radovcic’s theory in the early 2015, changing our perception of the 7 Shocking Facts About
Neanderthals. Previously regarded as savage brutes, they are now shown Attila That Justi ed His
to have had a form of symbolic thinking in their lives. Also, it indicates Nickname the Scourge of
that the need for ornaments predates the modern men, since the pieces God
were dated to have been made 135,000 years ago.

Nassarius Snail Beads

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Ancient archeological shell beads of Nassarius kraussianus from Blombos Cave, Credits: Wikimedia Enemies
In the site of Skhul cave in Israel, researchers have found beads made from
shells of a sea snail called Nassarius. These beads are the rst known
jewelry made by modern humans dated as early as 110,000 years. Similar
beadwork was later found across the African continent, with the oldest
examples found in Morocco, dated to some 80,000 years ago. Just a bit
younger were the beads found in a cave on the Cape shoreline in south
Africa, aging around 75,000 years. What Was Ancient Rome’s
In uence on Government
Ostrich Shell Beads of Kenya and Democracy Today

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who would win?
Ostrich Shell Beads, via Flickr

For a long time, it was thought that the oldest personal ornament ever was
found in the site of Enkapune Ya Muto, translated as the Twilight Cave, in
Kenya. It is believed that they are 40,000 years old. The beads were made
from drilled ostrich egg shells tied on a string around the neck. These nds
are https://www.ancientfacts.net/7-oldest-pieces-jewelry-world/
contemporary to the supposed change in human cognitive abilities, 2/6
Denisovan
5/12/2019
Stone Bracelet
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7 Oldest Pieces of Jewelry in the World - Ancient Facts
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40,000 Year-Old Stone Bracelet , Denisova Cave, via www.messagetoeagle.com Inventions That Are Still
Used Today
In 2008 on an excavation site in the Altai region of Siberia, a stone bracelet
was found among some of the human remains. When the layer of soil and
the material were dated, it was found that the remains in that particular
layer were somewhere around 40,000 years old. Further examination of
the bracelet uncovered that it was made using technology previously
believed to have been nonexistent in the Paleolithic period.
The artisan who made the items was then thought to have been a modern
human, but that was quickly refuted, and was con rmed that the person 6 Evilest Rulers of Ancient
who made this piece was indeed belonging to the Denisovan people. This History
is remarkable since the Denisovans are thought to be a species that had
developed earlier than both the modern human, and the Neanderthal.

The Gold Riches of Varna

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One5/12/2019
of the rst cultures to have
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developed goldsmithing
7 Oldest Pieces of was
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the
Jewelry inVarna
the World - Ancient Facts
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civilization. It was developed in Eastern Bulgaria, near the Black Sea, in an
area rich with lakes. With such abundant waterways, trade quickly
allowed the goldsmiths to develop their trade as much as it was possible.
The remains we have today are from a sight of the necropolis in which
Varnians interred their dead, and where graves were dated as early as
4560-4450 BC. More than 290 graves have been discovered thus far, and
43 of them contained only cenotaphs, grave gi s, with no corporeal
remains whatsoever. More importantly, the fact that just one of these
burial pits contained more gold inside than it was discovered in the entire
world for that period says a lot about Varna riches.

Glasswork of Egypt

Group of 16 amulets strung as a necklace, in bright faience blue, Credits: Wikimedia

Perhaps the most famous jewelry belongs to the Cradle of Civilization–

Egypt. The tradition that was carried on and on by the goldsmiths of Egypt
was responsible for the Tutankhamun’s burial mask, the bust of Nefertiti,
the golden capstone of the Pyramid of Giza, and many other notable
wonders. But none of that would have been possible if it weren’t for the
rst steps which were made in cra ing necklaces and head dressings some
5,000 years ago.
The Egyptian jewelry had two personal traits. As silver was in greater
abundance in the area, most of the initial pieces were made in it, and even
later it remained the primary resource for general populace. The other
trait that was worn in Egypt was that they o en made use of stained glass
instead of gems, giving their work a far greater variety.

Mesopotamian jewelry

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Pair of Gold Hair Ornaments, Mesopotamian, circa 2000 BC (Isin-larsa period), Credits: Wikimedia

Most of the Mesopotamian jewelry was made on thin sheets of metal, set
with variously colored gems. The oldest pieces we saved are from the
Royal Cemetery of Ur, dating to as early as 2900 BC. The meticulous
record keeping of the Mari gives us an insight into some piecesthat have
not been recovered, for instance, one record speaks of a necklace of
rounded lapis lazuli beads, with 28 of them rounded, and 29 uted.

While the jewelry trends and materials may change, one is certain – we
will always like to decorate and express individuality with it.

 AFRICA, ANCIENT, BEADS, BULGARIA, CROATIA, EGYPT, GEMS, GOLD,

JEWELRY, KENYA, MESOPOTAMIA

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