History of Classical Jewelry

Throughout Classical Antiquity, jewelry making was considered an art equal in value and importance to painting, sculpture, and architecture. Among the ancient Etruscans and in Greece, Rome, and Byzantium craftsmen developed a repertoire of techniques using high-karat gold and gemstones to create works of personal adornment whose quality has never been exceeded. These pieces can be found in museums and private collections throughout the world, but with the advent of the Industrial Revolution and mass production techniques employed by ancient jewelry makers all but disappeared.