Jewels of the Nile: Discovering ancient Egyptian treasures

If you live anywhere nearby, run, don’t walk, to the Worcester Art Museum before January 8. That’s where you’ll see an amazing exhibit of their early Egyptian jewelry collection—just in time for the 100^th anniversary of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. The 300 objects on display give you a sense of the genius of these artisans: their materials, the symbolism of the items they created, and the impact of their talent on future generations. It’s fascinating and the jewelry is simply amazing.

Best of all, the exhibit is well laid-out, easy to follow…and fun! You really see the advancement of the artistry in Egyptian jewelry. Plus, there’s a great interactive section—examples of gemstones that you can touch, “smell samples” of the period’s perfumes, and (most fun of all), mirrors that let you “wear” authentic pieces of Egyptian jewelry, take a photo, and send it right to your phone!

Examples of early Egyptian jewelry

• Early Egyptians used materials from their own land, like bone, shells, and plant fibers. As time progressed, they obtained gemstones from their trading partners, including quartz, amber (Baltic), lapis lazuli (Afghanistan), and gold (Nubia).
• The skilled artisans had basic tools, yet they figured out how to make jewelry with wirework, soldering, inlaying, gilding, and intaglio (engraving).
• As an example, take a look at the 3000-year-old, broad collar below, made of faience beads—a glazed ceramic from quartz. They also figured out how to create glass and enamel to decorate the faience. Holes in the beads were drilled with a handheld bow.

Amulets: Decoding the jewelry

• These pieces weren’t just worn for their beauty; they were also meaningful. Many were amulets, figures believed to protect the wearer from danger, illness, and evil—both while living and in the afterlife. Popular amulet subjects were scarabs (renewal and rebirth), the eye of Horus (protection), and the ankh (protection).
• Even the colors they used in their jewelry were meaningful: red (life, blood), yellow (the power of the sun), green (renewal and health), and blue (the sky and the Nile).
• One fascinating illustration in the exhibit shows the placement of amulets on a mummy’s body to protect them in the afterlife. There were also a special “heart scarab” that was placed over the mummy’s heart. It was inscribed with a magic spell to protect the deceased’s heart from confessing sins so their final judgement would be pure.

Portrait of a Woman with Pearl Jewelry

Here’s an example of a painted wooden panel—a memorial to an unnamed woman. Her pearl earrings would do justice today…and reminded me of the painting, “Girl with a Pearl Earring.”

Egyptomania

The discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922 set off a craze for anything Egyptian—and the fashion and design worlds took note. Even architecture was designed with lotus flowers, mummies, and scarabs (“Egyptian Revival”). The exhibit has some gorgeous examples of Tiffany pieces in the Egyptian style: including a desk clock (notice the lotus flower designs), brooches, and necklaces.

How the collection got to Worcester

A Boston collector, Laura Norcross Marrs, and her husband, photographer Kingsmill Marrs, met archaeologist Howard Carter, the adventurer who discovered King Tut’s tomb. This friendship led to the couple’s accumulation (with Carter’s advice) of their collection. After her husband’s death, Laura donated the bulk of the collection to the Worcester Art Museum.

Bottom line…

If you love jewelry (and who doesn’t), SEE THIS EXHIBIT! The beauty and technique of these artists 3,000 years ago will change the way you think of design, gems, and craftsmanship.

See you at the exhibit! Brilliantly yours, Aimee