Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-21
HISTORY : OH JEWELRY
NECKLACES, 81 BRACELETS AND
RINGS OF THE ANcIENTs.
Decorations Which Primitive Man
Employed for His Adornment-,
II
Shells, Seeds and Nuts.
From the London Telegraph.

1ewelry ancient and modern, and women
are turning with interest to a series of
lectures which he is delivering, under the
auspices of the Society of Arts, on per
sonal Jewelry from Prehistoric Times
Necklaces are probably the earliest form
of decoration. Primitive man, dwelling
by preference near the seashore, may easily
have found material for necklaces ready
to his hand Shells such as limpets', are
continually found with their crests worn off,
at once becoming ring-like beads. This
gave the idea of piercing soft objects, which
were strung upon animal sinew or veg
etabe fiber.
Berries and Teeth.
The transmission is natural from simple,
easily pierced berries, seeds, or eggs to
harder nuts, teeth, or claws, to the ambi-
tious shaping and working of materials and
stones, to the adoption of amber, bone,
ivory, wood, and finally, glass and precious
stones, and, as knowledge of metal working
grew to gold, silver, copper and bronze.
Tongues. twisted, as their name implies,
We're form of necklace, very important
and beautiful one, in favor with both
Asiatic and north European races.
There was such endless variety, the lecturer
confessed, in the arrangement Of necklaces,
from the simple Indian row of pearls and
emeralds to the looped and tasseled
Queens Necklace" that any attempt at
classification would be futile. Egyptian
necklaces Of beads of glass and glazed and
nodded clay were distinguished by most
skillfully-worked patterns. The Egyptians
also made beautiful plated chains of gold
in the pattern known as Trichinopoly, but
1t is probable that the Greek and Etruscan
gold work of the third and eighth centuries
b. c. is the most beautiful ever made The
use of jewels in such ornaments Is sparing,
but the gold work is remarkable for the
beauty of its design and the consummate
skill OF the workmanship and soldering.
Gruesome Talismen.
Something gruesome attaches to the
earlier forms of bracelets. Few savage
tribes but appear to have worn, in one form
or another, these primitive ornaments In
many cases they were in reality weapons Of
war, or were worn as talismans. In New
Guinea and the neighboring islands they
were composed of human jawbones, and
credited with protective influences. Those
made of teeth or claws were supposed to
bring luck in the chase. Some savages of
the Congo carry on their arms heavy iron
bracelets, which they use as projectiles
and thus Mr.. Davenport traces the wearing
OF bands around the wrists from the rough
primitive form to the magnificent workman
ship of the Greeks Romans, Egyptians and
OF the present day. Metal appears to have
been used from the first; the setting of
precious stones in metal work apparently
belonging to the Romans as does also the
engraving of gems.
The diadem or circlet for the head was
always accorded a wider significance than
the wearing of bracelets or necklaces. From
very early times it has been largely re-
served as markiof dignity, and today we
have the modern form with intensified
significance in the crowns of sovereignty.
IhlS latter use, however, originated in the
east. and was adopted in the form of a
soft fiiiet or band by Alexander the Great.
Diadems Found at Troy.
To the increased interest Of his lecture
Mr.. Davenport described ancient diadems
discovered at Troy and at Mycenae, fillets
worn by Roman emperors, Etruscan
wreaths of gold. Byzantine circlets and
crowns. and lastly, crowns of Britain. He
claims for the Scottish crown now in E1in-
burgh castle that it is the most beautiful
diadem belonging to the English regalia.
1t Is probable that the pattern is that of
Bruce's crown. Speaking Of the imperial
crown to be worn by King Edward on the
occasion of his coronation, the lecturer
mentioned many interesting facts regard
Ing 1t not generally known. 1t was made
for Queen Victoria in 1893 by Rundel &,
Bridge. Besides four rubies, eleven erner-
aids, sixteen sapphires, PIT pearls and
2Isa diamonds. it contains the famous ruby
given to Edward the Black Prince by Don
Pedro, King of CASTLE, sapphire from the
ring Of Edward the Confessor, and another
also of great size, given to George III nv
Cardinal York, from the crown of Charles
II.