Many grand civilisations inhabited the area of Western Asia in Antiquity, and their wealth and prosperity is witnessed by the very sophisticated precious metal crafting of jewellery. Gold would have been hammered down to a thin layer and manipulated into different shapes. Gold and silver jewellery would have featured gold granules, glass and semi-precious stone inlays, and detailed engravings. Very fine granulation along with filigree, were at the centre of Near Eastern and Western Asiatic jewellery production and were later adopted by the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans. Gold necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets would have been worn in everyday life but also buried with the deceased.
To find out more about different metal decorative techniques in antiquity please see our relevant blog post: Decorative Metalwork Techniques
