Agateware and graniteware are names for some varieties of enamelware. Ancient Egyptians and Assyrians used enameled bricks of high luster in the walls of their palaces. They also used enamel in the decoration of jewelry. The Greeks and Romans were masters of the art, employing it in jewelry and as an accessory of sculpture. In Ireland and England numerous ancient enamel ornaments have been found, including shields and helmets studded with enamel.
Many old crowns have enamel ornamentations.
Most enameling techniques have been kept alive by goldsmiths. Painters Georges Braque and Georges Rouault have also contributed to the craft. New processes have been invented that produce enamels of a much greater variety of colors than was formerly known and that are superior in brilliance and durability. The most important industrial use of enamel is giving iron and steel utensils coats of opaque glass. Distinct from true enamel are the so-called brushing and automobile enamels.