[Jewelry making - Article 00083] - [Orchid] [Tidbits] Mesopotamian Jewelry

[Benjamin Mark]

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    1300 B.C. Who was it that stood in highest regard in Ancient
    Mesopotamian society? It was the barber ... for it was considered a
    sign of extreme personal neglect to allow one's facial hairs to grow
    willy nilly about one's cheeks and chin and neck. Fact is ... when one
    died ... one was shaved quite neatly in order to enter one's grave in
    a state of utter elegance. The concept of meeting one's maker in a
    disheveled manner clearly did not sit well with the social mores of
    the times. 

    And if one entered one's final resting place clean-shaven ... did it
    not stand to reason one would also enhance one's appearance with fine
    clothes ... perfumed ... and bejeweled? Going back as far as 30,000
    B.C. the graves of both men and women have been found strewn with
    jewelry ... pendants and bracelets and necklaces. 

    Obsidian beads over 7000 years old were found in Iraq with holes
    drilled through so fine that the mind is baffled even today at the
    technology these ancient people used in order to accomplish this
    feat. 

    From China to Afghanistan to the ancient Death Pits at Ur ... beaded
    jewelry pervaded a world where one strutted proudly amongst one's
    friends with the latest bauble about one's neck. Hey ... Sheherizad
    ... you like this beaded necklace Abdul gave me for my birthday? Such
    a sweet man. He knows how to treat a lady. 

    Sadie and Mary and Yakhdun and Narimsin ... they all wore beads.
    Whatsa matter? You all thought beads were the product of a modern
    age? Nay nay. Beads have been around awhile hunnie bunnies. 

    Mesopotamia ... the land between the rivers ... gave birth to much
    beauty in the form of  beaded  jewelry and hammered gold. I have an
    image of a representation of such a piece. Wanna see? 

    For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits...may I
    direct you to my home page at www.tyler-adam.com where you will
    scroll down the left side menu till you get to the area that says
    Tidbits Graphics ... and then click on the link that says:
    Mesopotamia for a view of a classic portrayal of a time long gone
    by. 

And there ya have it.
That's it for this week folks.
Catch you all next week.
Benjamin Mark
http://www.tyler-adam.com

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