Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
On View: Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
Middle Kingdom Jewelry
Gracious taste, arresting design, and technical mastery of materials characterize Middle Kingdom jewelry.
Jewelers elevated their craft to a level of artistic accomplishment unrivaled in Egyptian history. They refrained from excess, choosing simple, clean forms and understated color patterns. For instance, unlike flamboyant examples from the later New Kingdom, Middle Kingdom necklaces were usually monochromatic and almost never included beads of more than three colors. The most expensive jewelry featured beads made of gold; because it never tarnishes, gold was called the “flesh of the gods” and conveyed immortality.
Jewelers of the Middle Kingdom also relied on certain attractive semiprecious stones that had appeared only sporadically in the Old Kingdom. Red carnelian represented blood’s life-giving properties, and green turquoise symbolized vegetation and fertility and thus resurrection. Purple amethyst and pale blue anhydrite, however, seem to have had no magical powers and were admired solely for their visual appeal.
Amethyst, stone, faience
ca. 1938-1759 B.C.E.
Gift of the Egypt Exploration Society
String of amethysts, ovoid shape graduated beads. At the center of the necklace between the largest beads are four amulets apparently in the form of falcons. Each end of the necklace is finished off with one round black bead and one green faience bead. The workmanship is good and the necklace is a very beautiful specimen.
Condition, various slight chips.
Necklace, ca. 1938-1759 B.C.E. Amethyst, stone, faience, 24 in. (61 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Egypt Exploration Society
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Tell me more.
One of these two necklaces is also made from faience. The other, the purple one, is made of amethyst, but you can still see faience at the clasps. The material was very common in ancient Egypt.
Simple necklaces like there were a common adornment in ancient Egypt for both men and women.
Thank you for your help