We have been hearing about Gemstones in Ancient Time. Families pass down jewelry and gemstones to each other over many generations. They are like our heritage and hold great value. You may be curious about when people found gemstones and how long it took for them to be passed on.
Your question is absolutely reasonable, and the answer might be very fascinating as well.
What do you mean by gemstones?
Any piece of crystal that we might find while mining below the surface is a gemstone.
Gemstones are preferred for many purposes, like decorative items, jewelry, and other gifting items. Well, not only these, but gemstones are also strengthening the areas of meditation and healing.
When were gemstones formed?
Even if you took a wild guess about how far back Gemstones in Ancient Time go, your imagination would not lead you to the answer. The formation of gemstones dates back millions to billions of years. Yes, you read it right. Before the human race discovered the term development, they had discovered the term ‘gemstones’.
Shockingly, even the earliest human tribes and species wore jewelry. Now, they didn’t wear diamonds and rubies. Their jewelry mostly combined rocks, feathers, and other things that they used to find. After all, everyone likes to accessorize a bit.
discovered long ago were gemstones like diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. Among these three gemstones, diamonds date from around 3 billion years ago and are the oldest. Whereas sapphire stone from around 150 million years ago are the youngest of all three.
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What are the oldest gemstones to be discovered?
Ironically, the oldest gemstone found on earth might be the one that you’ve least heard about. Zircon is the oldest gemstone on earth. Around the year 2001, a group of researchers found a natural zircon piece in Jack Hills, Western Australia.
Another gemstone that we found on the surface and that is the oldest is a peridot stone. The stone is around 4.6 billion years old.
Types of jewelry worn
We humans did not immediately know how to use gemstones the moment we discovered them. We have slowly evolved our taste in jewelry design and choices. There were no specific designs for men or women. Both men and women wore the same designs, as there wasn’t much of a choice before. So, we are moving on to discuss what kind of jewelry was trending back in the day.
Amulets
Gemstones and their healing powers were discovered long ago. Hence, people used gemstones in the form of protective amulets and talismans. A variety of figures and images, including mythical creatures and animals, were considered while shaping a stone. In addition to stones, jewelry has also been made from rocks, clay, bones, feathers, and teeth from animals.
Necklaces
Necklaces created by tying rocks, feathers, bones, and teeth together were trending. Men and women wore the same type of necklace. Back in the day, there was no such major difference in color and style as there is today.
Protection
The stones held great spiritual significance. The stones were helpful in rites, at funerals, to banish evil spirits, and other things. Yes, back in the day, people might have used them for some wrong purposes too. But as we evolved and changed, we learned to use the stones in a better way.
Ancient Civilizations and Their Ways to Use Gemstones
1. Ancient Greece
The Greeks preferred semi-precious gemstones like amethyst stone and pearls when it came to jewelry. The Greeks believed that an amethyst stone was a remedy for drunkenness.
Around 300 BC, agate, emerald, garnet, peridot, and pearls were first used in jewelry-making.
2. Ancient India
Indians and their rich jewelry heritage are something that will take several days and nights to discuss. For over 2000 years, India has helped supply the finest Kashmir sapphires, Golconda diamonds, and Gulf of Mannar pearls to the world. India had the gems, and the Mughals brought their technological gem-setting skills. So you can say that India got golden.
3. Ancient Egypt
When Egypt’s name pops up, your mind cannot stop thinking about the pharaoh’s tomb. Tutankhamun’s tomb is the perfect example of how Egyptians used gemstones. A careful examination of a Tutankhamun mummy’s neck reveals the exquisite use of lapis lazuli and red jasper in addition to the gold.
If you notice any Egyptian wall, tomb, or statue carefully, you’ll realize the excessive use of blue-coloured stone. The blue-coloured stone is none other than lapis lazuli. A stone that can be found in abundance in Egypt.
4. Ancient China
It might be safe to say that the love for jade among Chinese people goes way back. Name the thing, and you’ll find a jade version of it. Around 3000 BC, jade was termed the “royal gem”. You can see the use of all colors of jade: yellow, white, and green. Starting from gemstone-tipped needles to gem elixirs, if the Chinese could, everything would be jade.
5. The Ancient Roman Empire
How can we forget about the rich Roman Empire and their lavish possession of important precious and semi-precious stones like sapphires, garnet, amber, rubies, and diamonds? Roman men used to have all of their 10 fingers dipped in all kinds of gemstones. Oh, to be Roman!
Conclusion
There’s a lot more to learn about Gemstones in Ancient Time. There are many more ancient eras to cover, but for now, we hope that you found these fascinating enough. The obsession with gemstones has only grown over time. The tastes and preferences of people have changed and evolved over time. We have now discovered many more gemstones that are equally fascinating as the ancient ones.
