Gold Jewelry Practices From the Minoans to the Romans

Merchants in the Mediterranean sold gold jewelry from Turkey, Egypt and Mesopotamia by 1600BC. The Minoan civilization ( the first developed civilization in Europe on the island of Crete) produced gold jewelry, filigree, burial masks and stamped gold sheeting by 2000BC. By 1500BC, the Minoans thrived on the success of trade domination of gold and silver in the Mediterranean. Some of the oldest Minoan jewelry makers created intricate designs for ornamented gold pendants, earrings and rings that had representations of mystical or naturalistic animal designs.

The gold jewelry of the Minoans dates to the Late Bronze Age. The Minoan jewelry makers incorporated beaded stone crystals and glass beads with elaborate gold necklaces into their craftsmanship. During the Bronze Age’s second phase, around 1450 BC, the Cretan Minoans were invaded and conquered by the Mycenaeans from mainland Greece who influenced the Minoans’ naturalistic designs with more stylized and abstracted forms. The oldest Minoan gold jewelry designs found in graves dates to 2400BC. Mycenaean culture, together with the influence of the Minoans, produced richly jeweled ornaments in the Late Bronze Age (1600-1100BC).

Archaeological excavations have uncovered jewelry of this time to be of the highest quality including, pendants adorned with gold filigree, repousse' beads, bejeweled and inlaid gold finger rings. The Mycenaean societies and cities were destroyed in the early Iron Age (1100-800BC) by the Dorians, which in turn shut down gold jewelry production and initiated 400 years of dormancy of ornamental production. After the end of the Dark Ages, the Etruscans came to prominence in goldsmith production and design. They, like many other cultures, relearned the ancient and forgotten techniques by the maritime Phoenicians namely, granulation, filigree, inlay and repousse'.

Prosperity came to the Etruscans in 800BC after they colonized Iberia, a county rich in gold reserves, and maintained a strong system of trade. The Etruscans’ technical skill and intricately designed gold jewelry incorporated geometric designs including swastikas, zigzags and triangles that are definitive of Etruscan style. Later symbolic designs include half moons, solar discs and flora of oriental influence. The Etruscans used their borrowed skills to create jewelry not to wear, but to accompany them in the afterlife. Greek influence is seen on later Etruscan gold jewelry, with images of pomegranates, mythological creatures, acorns, lotus flower and palms adorning the gold work.

After the Etruscans became part of the Roman Empire and Roman civilization started to prosper, the city of Rome attracted gold artisans and highly talented jewelry makers. Gold jewelry of this era includes earrings, headdresses, pendants, necklaces, gold-encased cameos and rings. The early official position of jewelry wearing was not for those without prestige. Rings took on a significance of high-status; the wearer initially could not be of lower class and wear a gold ring.

By 300BC, this standard was abolished and almost anyone permitted to adorn a gold ring. Roman culture is credited by historians in the emergence of the ring having engagement symbolism still used in many cultures around the world today. The ubiquitous use of gold in Roman times expanded beyond the adornment of emperors and those of high rank and gold began to be included in the production of furniture and domestic items for these upper class. Citizens of Rome were known to wear necklaces with coins depicting the emperor’s image by 300AD.

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