Hind Mohamed 200812115

Hind Al-Hamed 200816115 Mesopotamian jewelry

Research paper on

Mesopotamian jewelry

Art – 319 Zayed University

2 Hind Al-Hamed 200816115 Mesopotamian jewelry

The history of western costume and jewelry it self- begins in Mesopotamia. Numerous city-states

flourished along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and their tributaries. Sometimes these city-states were

self-governing; sometimes they were organized into an empire by one dominant city. People in these

cities created the earliest civilization by developing writing, organizing businesses, initiating scientific

and religious inquiry, and codifying laws. Sumerians, Acadians. Babylonians, Assyrians and Persians,

among others, established empires centered in Mesopotamia. Some civilization that once flourished in

Mesopotamia left behind abundant remains that show

how they dressed and adorned themselves with

jewelries. These remains prove that the Mesopotamian

civilization lived form 3500 BCE till 300 BCE. For

other civilizations, only too few art objects survived to

document their costume. Part of the reasons that prevented the survival of such art objects is because of

the natural disasters and the constant warfare that plagued Mesopotamia during the first millennia of

recorded history. Catastrophic floods ravaged the region as recorded in the Mesopotamian famous war

Epic of Gilgamesh and the story of Noah in Genesis. Floods also ruined the archaeological soil strata.

Political life at that time could be another reason. The cities sought for their independence and control

by either destroying or absorbing the cultures of those who had preceded them in power. Despite the

ruin caused by warfare, floods and political conflicts, a wide variety of artifacts remains that shows how

people adorned themselves with jewelries and accessories thousands of years ago. Because actual fabrics

of ancient Mesopotamia have not been found, only the surface designs and trims can be studied in

sculpture. Literary and visual records suggest extensive use of wool, fabrics, as well as some linen.

Mesopotamian used gold semiprecious stones formed rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and coronets,

all with plant, animal or human motifs such as cuttlefish and starfish and insects such as butterflies and

bees. People from all of these civilizations wore rich jewelry; archaeologists have retrieved hoards of

jewelry from mostly graves or crumbling buildings.


In this research paper I will introduce some of the Mesopotamian jewelry pieces and I will give

my opinion on each of them.

One of the most spectacular archaeological finds in the Near East was the discovery, beginning

in 1988, of more than a thousand pieces of gold jewelry weighing more than 125 pounds; they were

found in three Assyrian royal tombs at Nimrud. Much of the information about Mesopotamian jewelry

comes from the royal graves of Ur. In one grave archaeologists found the body of queen named Pu Abi.

When the queen died the favorite servants, who could serve her in the afterlife, accompanied her to her

tomb. The tomb was filled with all the things the queen need for the afterlife. In the tomb there were the

skeletons of the queen and her servants wearing a fortune in jewelry including gold earrings, pins,

necklaces, bracelets, armbands, ankle bracelets, rings and headdresses.

Headdress: it was made from coils of gold ribbons topped with

gold leaves, flowers and semiprecious stone. It was decorated with lapis

lazuli and carnelian and with three rows of sheet

gold leaves. Crowning the headdress was a tall

comb of gold ending in seven rosettes.

Pair of bracelets: Reveals inlays of tiger’s-eye, turquoise,

malachite, and lapis lazuli. It was set with precious agate-stone and inlaid

with enamel. Gold winged genies hold buckets and pinecones.


Gold crown: 3.5 inch-wide appliqued with three rows of

rosettes, was made for a child.

Gold necklace: with 28 pendants, with clasp of intertwined

animal heads.

Gold earrings: formed by cones dangling from half-moons.

The royal diadem: one inch wide with plaits of

flexible gold mesh, woven in herringbone pattern and set

with precious stones, the losse fringed 10 inch length would

have fallen ribbon like down the back of the head.

Granulated Gold earrings: frames an exquisite palm tree

mosaic of semiprecious stones set in lapis lazuli. Perhaps

symbolizing the sacred tree often depicted in Mesopotamian art.


In the tomb of Ur there is also Gold hair –rings

engraved fastener and finger-ring with lapis lazuli inlay as

well as amulets worn by the queen Pu abi.

Gold necklace was reconstructed from more than 200

pieces. Its seven pendants represent deities: the crescent moon

stands for Sin, the moon good and the rayed disk figurines

depict the protective goddess Lama, and the forked lightning

represents Adad, the storm god.

A golden necklace: the decoration on

the disks was made with tiny gold

granules and the three-section band

was made by “coiling”.


Gold pin. Probably used to hold Pu-abi's hair at the back of her head.

Gold pin. Probably used to hold Pu-abi's hair at the

back of her head.

The third bead pendant used to hold Pu-abi's cylinder seals: The bottom amulet would have held a shaft that went through the cylinder seal. The amulet would have served as a handle when rotating the cylinder seal across a damp clay tablet, like the cylinder seal and handle.

Gold headband. It wasn't found in a royal tomb, but in a simple burial (PG 153) of a single body.


A testament to the astonishing reach of early Assyria’s trading caravans, the

magnificent necklaces below are imported from distant areas.

This necklace includes blue cylinders of lapis lazuli imported from

Afghanistan and the orange carnelian beads from India.

The blue semiprecious stone was minded in Afghanistan.

The long brown carnelian beads were imported.

Diaderm of gold , carnelian and lapis lazuli, worn by a child.

Beads and pendants of gold, carnelian and lapis lazuli.


Jewelries of the royal families:

The helmet on the tomb of Kind Meskalamdug: was

made of electrum (alloy of gold and silver) by hammering from

the inside, with the details added later. The finely fashioned hair

is held in place by a diadem suggesting a royal owner.

Golden pectoral: it came from one of the intact tombs. It

is decorated with the images og the Egyptian hawk-god Horus

but details show that it was made locally. Width 20.5 cm.

Gold roundel of a winged lion griffon with four loops on the

back. Garments with gold decorations sewn on them were worn by the

Mesopotamian kings and by the statues of gods.

Golden bracelet: the hollow spaced would have contained

inlays of glass or semiprecious stones; Width 11.5 cm.


The base of the hammered electrum tumbler from Puabi's death pit

features a decorative eight-petal rosette surrounded by a series of arcs or

concentric circles.

The pan-Mesopotamian rosette is a symbol connected to the Tree of Life,

and is connected to the Sun god Shamash. The standard Sumerian rosette design

has only eight spoke-like leaves.

Assyrian Tree of Life (Sacred Tree) Necklace and Assyrian

Flower Broche (Silver).

Babylonian necklace. It was made 1,000 years

after the Royal Tombs. Note how the swirl patterns and

the shape of the gold beads continue the Sumerian

tradition of jewelry.


Bracelets: The initial instances of jewelry bracelets were discovered with the Sumerians of

Mesopotamia where the females used the bracelets to broadcast the money of their partners. Sumerian

ring and coil money. The silver was cut to length as needed.



To sum up, by about 4,000 years ago, jewelry making had become a significant craft in the

Mesopotamian cities of Sumer and Akkad, in what is now Iraq. Until this day there are brands and

designers are inspired by the Mesopotamian jewelry designs.

Yossi Harari: Yossi Harari's work harkens back to the

jeweler of ancient Anatolia and Mesopotamia, but with an added

contemporary flare. Yossi also operates a jewelry gallery in Tel

Aviv. http://yossiharari.com/

Pandora: is another jewelry company, which produces

mainly beads bracelets and necklaces, inspired by the

Mesopotamian designs. http://www.pandora.net/

My Babylonia The crafted pieces convey expression

and emotion through signs and symbols. Company

BABYLONIA handmade silver jewelry is an infusion of the

ancient elegance and modern rawness of Babylonia.

http://www.mybabylonia.com

Aykat Telkari handcrafting is an art that has been

implemented in the Mesopotamian plain since 3000

BC. Products are finish with cleaning and

polishing.. http://aykatkuyumculuk.com/Anasayfa/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlFvADsPGvI&feature=related


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Hind Mohamed 200812115

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