Ancient Egyptian jewelry – pictures galore!
Okay, so for today I thought we’d take a hard left turn and talk a bit about Ancient Egyptian jewelry. Yah!
Of course I’ll be focusing on Middle Kingdom styles, since this is the setting for my story, but I have some interesting examples from the New Kingdom that I will throw in, too.
One of the things you need to know about to understand Ancient Egyptian jewelry is that it’s not all gold. I know the movies have shown you people walking around wearing solid plates of gold as necklaces (we’ve talked about this before – that’s a purely New Kingdom style), but that wasn’t generally the case, especially in the Middle Kingdom, which is known for more delicate filigree-type work and beading.
One of the most common materials used in Middle Kingdom jewelry is something called Egyptian faience. Faience is a ceramic made from melted sand or crushed quartz which develops a bright color and shiny finish during the firing process. It’s believed that the Egyptians used this as a replacement for the more difficult-to-get gemstones and glass.
So, are you ready? It’s time for the pictures!
Broad Collars and Necklaces
The style you probably think of when you think about an Ancient Egyptian Necklace is actually called a broad collar. They look like this:
Broad collar of faience 
Broad collar of faience 
Broad collar of faience, gold, and precious stones
These are all Middle Kingdom styles. As you can see – lots of beadwork!
Below are two examples of New Kingdom styles that may be more like what you are used to seeing in the movies.
Broad collar of gold, glass, and pigment 
Broad collar of gold sheet
Now, what we see less of in movies are straight-up necklaces. But, they had these too. We have lots of Middle Kingdom examples.
Amethyst beads – all the rage in the Middle Kingdom 
Necklace of faience
We have a comparatively large jewelry collection from Princess Sithathoriunet, who appears in my story. Some boxes of her jewelry and cosmetic items were left undisturbed by grave robbers for centuries. You can see a stunning example of Middle Kingdom gold and beadwork in her pectoral-style necklace, below.
Bracelets and Anklets
Bracelets and anklets were commonly worn throughout Egypt, and in the Middle Kingdom had a similar beading style to what you have already seen above.
Anklet of faience 
Princess Sithathoriunet’s bracelet of faience, gold, precious stones, and pigment
And, for reference, here’s some New Kingdom styles below. As usual, much more bling-y.
Bracelet of gold, precious stones, and glass 
Cat bracelet. Because the Ancient Egyptians were exactly the same as us. Made of gold, precious stones, and glass
Headgear
Surprisingly, Ancient Egyptian earrings are comparatively understated. Here’s a New Kingdom example.
But, the jewelry of Princess Sithathoriunet has a little bit more to teach us about Ancient Egyptian headgear during the Middle Kingdom. Check out her wig rings.
And, the coup de grâce, her pretty amazing crown.
I hope you enjoyed this super-blingy entry of my blog! I have upcoming entries planned along similar lines, including makeup, hair, and fashion. I hope you’ll join me!
(Do you have any questions you want me to answer? Topics you want me to cover? Comment below, and don’t forget to follow me on Facebook and Twitter @headdeskliz .)
Elizabeth Jacobson 