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Scythian Jewelry
The excavations of royal burial sites have provided the most
complete record of the jewelry of the Scythians, a nomadic
people of the Eurasian steppes who absorbed Middle Eastern and
Classical Greek influences. Typical art objects of the 1st
millennium BC were plaques in the form of stags or other
animals, hammered or stamped out of gold and often inlaid with
colored stones or glass. Large plaques were mounted on bridles
or quivers; small ones were attached to clothing. Plaques,
bowls, and personal jewelry of the 5th and 4th centuries BC were
often made by Greek artisans and combined the richness of Greek
composition and technique with Scythian motifs. The largest
collection of Scythian jewelry is in the Hermitage Museum, Saint
Petersburg.
In the Classical period of Greek art, granulation fell out of
use, enamel reappeared, and filigree was widely employed. The
style was characterized by delicacy and refinement. Plaited gold
necklaces were decorated with flowers and tassels; hoop earrings
with filigree disks and rosettes became popular. In the
succeeding Hellenistic period (323-31 BC), pendant vases, winged
victories, cupids, and doves became common motifs. At the same
time, an important innovation was the introduction of large
colored stones, especially garnets, at the center of designs.
This scheme was further elaborated by the Romans, who used a
variety of stones and set them in rows bordered with pearls. In
Rome, enameling was common, and the art of cameo cutting reached
its peak of virtuosity. Cameos, often of great size, were
produced in large numbers. A fashionable form of jewelry was the
fibula, a brooch resembling a safety pin. Rings were extremely
popular, and at the height of the empire they were often worn on
all ten fingers. Exotic ornaments made of amber were also in
great demand. Toward the end of the Roman Empire, beginning in
the 3rd century AD, necklaces and bracelets were formed of gold
coins set in elaborate mountings of arcaded patterns; the
classical style died out.
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