history of silver jewellery

history silver jewellery

Ornamentation has been common for as long as man has existed. The very first ‘jewellery’ is thought to have developed from weapons – it was natural for people to adorn themselves with their most impressive-looking knife or dagger on special occasions, and out of this the concept of aesthetic decoration was born. It has endured for thousands of years and has provided various insights into how ancient cultures worked

Jewellery was a vital factor in the history of the Americas, when the Spanish established an empire to seize South American gold. The Aztecs and Mayans created innumerable pieces in the widely-available metal. Among the Aztecs, only nobility wore gold jewellery, as it showed their rank, power and wealth. The main purpose of Aztec jewellery was to attract attention, with richer and more powerful Aztecs wearing brighter, more expensive jewellery and clothes. As well as decoration, the Aztecs also used jewellery in sacrifices to appease the gods, and priests used gem-encrusted daggers to perform animal and human sacrifices.