The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-07
youths companion.l

The men of western countries leave
the wearing of jewels to women. but
il is not so in the east. where. especial
y in India, the princes vie with one
another in the maenifcence Of the
jewels worn in turbaR. necklace. belt
and sword hilt n sword scabbard.
Their fingers are often covered with
beautiful rings and great gems fash
from their state dress.
No n knows how ancient may
nave been the fondness for gems In
Asia and India. but the prehistoric
man can have had but little use for
them. FOR he could not appreciate
their beauty where richness OF color
could only be got by cutting with in.
struments OF which he was ignorant.
There mus, always have been some
stones which without artificial prepar-
alton showed fine c%oloring. OF these
the chief seem to have been the tur.
quoise. the carnelian and lapis lazuli.
In the most ancient of the Egyptian
sepulchers We find the mummies Of
the dead kings and queen and Of the
grea: ones of the nation wearing these
simple stones with the gold beads.
plates. chains and rings. which have
their value today as OF old. One would
imagine that with a people so full Of
learning and Of such wondrous civili-
cation other colored CRYSTALS to be
found not far from the Nile would
have had their place. But beyond the
occasional discovery of an emerald
the evidence tends to show tina the
beauties of Pharaoh's court had little
but gems which in our eyes have COM
pa!atively small value.
Our ancestors in Europe had, in the
bronze age. at least. to he content
with eaamels. The knowledge of the
use of glass probably came to them
from lighting fires on sands and rocks
that could be melted with heat. Then
the red colors always visible where
iron exists mus have given the first
hint how to mix this red tint with the
vitreous glaze. From the employment
OF red from iron ores and springs they
advanced to use the green of copper
plaques of enamel of these colors took
their place on shield and casque,
breast plate and brooch. Then both
ior bronze n tin and gold. and for
colored glass. used in beads, and for
amber the traffic grew with the east.
1 have seen the mixed colored glass
beads Of Carthage dug up on highland
moors These were often regarded as
charms by the %peasantry. and kept as
possessing properties that might cure
disease. for none knew whence they
came. n they were superstitiously
regarded, as were also any balls OF
white or red agate from old regalia
of church worship.
Pearls are so short-lived that We
cannot know when they were first
used. That they were much admired
by our European and Asiatic fore.
fathers is certain from the ancient
sculptures which show them in g
They, with amber and with crystal.
are probably the oldest ornaments
worn.
The emeralds Of China and Of India
are emeralds in color. but have more
OF the composition of rubies. a fac,
known only to modern students of
chemistry.
All these wonders in colored stones
were too costly and rare for the west
ern and northern monarchs OF old.
The plain diadem or band Of gold they
wore as a sign Of their rank seems ia
nave been followed BY the diadem
with spikes or rays OF gold, and gems
n enamel on the gold next appeared
copied from the eastern art.
But in the east also the plain gold
clrclet was long retained. and the
cnange made to imply power is seen
sometimes In a duplication or tripli.
cation OF the diadem or circlet. Thus
the papal tiara and the crown OF
Theodore Of Abyssinia. now at south
he.isinston. are examples Of the rails.