The Remarkable Art of Jewelry Making

Did you realize that the art of jewelry making has been traced back for 100,000 years? As long as there have been people who have wanted to adorn themselves with items of beauty and meaning there has been jewelry. We will never know what exactly gave rise to the desire to create jewelry, but the oldest known beads are actually a small collection of Nassarius shells found in Israel, carefully drilled so they could be worn by an individual.

Jewelry has Many Uses

Of course, the most popular use of jewelry is as adornment, but it actually has been used for many purposes over the years. Jewelry can be used as a way to store wealth, for currency, for practical reasons, as a symbol, for protection, and more.

For example, a kilt pin is a very practical tool, but it can be much more if the designer has taken the time to fashion that same pin into the shape of a harp. Many people wear crosses, triskelions, stars, and a variety of other religious symbols indicating their participation in a particular group. Medicine bags, hair pins that turn into small daggers, and of course the ever popular sword in a cane are all examples of pro