The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-23
HISTORY OF JEWELRY,
Necklaces, Bracelets and Rings of
the Ancients.
From the London telegram


From the London Telegraph.
Mr. Cyril Davenport is an authority
on jewelry. ancient and modern, and
women are turning with interest to a
series of lectures which he is deliver
ing under the auspices of the Society
OF Arst on Personal Jewelry from
Ffehistoric Times" Necklaces are
probably the earliest form of decora-
ton. Primitive man, dwelling by pref
erence near the seashore, may easily
nave found material for rackla ces
ready to his hand, Shells such as linn
pets are continually found with their
crests worn off, at once becoming ring
like heads. This gave the idea of pierre
ing soft objects, which were strung
upon animal sinew or vegetable fiber.
The transmission is natural from
simple, easily pierced berries, seeds or
eggs to harder nuts, teeth or claws. to
the ambitious shaping and wo1 liking of
materials and stones, TO the adoption
OF amber, bone, ivory, and, finally,
glass and precious stones. and. as
knowledge of metal working grew. to
gold, silver, copper and bronze Tor
ques, twisted as their name implies.
were form of necklace, a very i'm
portant and beautiful one, IN favor
with both Asiatic and north Eur opean
races.
There was such endless variety. the
lecturer confessed, in the ARRANGEMENT
Of necklaces, from the simple Indian
row of pearls and emeraIds to the loon
ed and tasseled queens necklace"
that any attempt at classification would
be futile. Egyptian necklaces of beads
of glass and glazed and nodded CLAW
were distinguished by most skillfuIlv
worked patterns. The Egyptians also
made beautiful plated chains of gold.
in the pattern known as trichinopoly,
but it 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 Jew
els in such ornaments is sparing, but
the gold work is remarkable for the
beauty of its design and the consum-
mate skill of the workmanship and
soldering.
Something grewsome attaches to the
earlier forms of bracelets. Few saw
age tribes but appear to have worn,
in one form or anotheP, these primitive
ornaments. In many cases they were
worn as talismans. In New Guinea
and the neighboring islands they were
composed of human jawbones Those
made of teeth or claws were supposed
to bring luck in the chase. Some saw
ages 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 workmanship
of the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and
of the present day. Metal appears to
have been used from the first; the set
ting of precious stones in metal work
apparently belonging to the Ro-
mans, as does also the engraving Of
gems.
The diadem or circlet for the head
was always accorded a wider signiff-
canoe than the wearing of bracelets
or necklaces. From very early times
1t has been largely reserved as a mark
of dignity, and to-day we have the
modern form with intensified signifi-
canoe in the crowns of sovereignty
This latter use, however, originated in
the East, and was adopted in the form
of a soft fillet or band by Alexander
the Great
To the increased interest of his lee
ture Mr.. Davenport described ancient
diadems discovered at Troy and at
Mycenae, fillets worn by Roman en-
perors. Etruscan wreaths of gold, By
zantine circlets and crowns, and, last
ly, crowns of Britain. He claims for
the Scottish crown, now in Edinburgh
castle, that 1t is the most beautiful
diadem belonging to the English re-
gala. 1t is probable that the pat
tern is that of Bruce's crown Speak
ing OF the imperial crown to be worn
by King Edward on the occasion of
his coronation, the lecturer mentioned
many interesting facts regarding IL
not generally known. II was made
for Queen Victoria in 1888 by Rundel
e. Bridge Besides four rubies. eleven
emeralds, sixteen sapphires. 277 pearls
and 2,73S diamonds, IL contains the ia
NOUS ruby given to Edward the Black
Prince by Don Pedro, King of CASTLE.
a sapphire from the ring OF Edward
the Confessor. and another also OF
great size. given to George III by Car
dinal York. from the crown of Charles
ii.
A British Young woman. a teacher