Ancient Egyptians made many objects out of faience. Most common of them were beads in different shapes and sizes. Many of these Ancient Egypt beads were in long tubular shape which was then assembled into intricate net-like shrouds to be wrapped around mummies. Figures of human beings made of faience called ushabtis was a funerary figurine used in Ancient Egypt and placed in tombs of pharaohs as well as the common folk. Ushabti or Shabti figures assisted the dead in the afterlife.
In ancient Egypt, the beads served many purposes; depending on their shape. These Ancient Egypt Beads were symbols of brotherhoods or symbols of luck and symbolized different gods. The ancient Egyptians highly valued adornment and loved ornamentation. Jewelry was worn both by men and women of all classes. Therefore, it was designed, crafted and worn with great care, thought and care.
Ancient Egyptians believed that fine jewelry in its typical holistic fashion not only enhanced the beauty but also provided magical and spiritual protection to its wearer. The Egyptian artisans made stylishly and a well-crafted jewelry that has stood the test of time. The ancient Egyptian jewelry was designed with a lot of meaning to its bearer.
Egyptian Faience Jewelry
In ancient Egyptian Art, Minerals and metals were symbolized with specific deities. They also had specific spiritual and therapeutic values. The words for lapis lazuli and turquoise were synonymous with joy and delight, respectively. Many elements represented certain ideas of the culture or stood for honored deities.
Gold was referred to Ra, the Sun god. Jewelry that was made of copper symbolized goddess of love, Hathor. These items connected the wearers to their gods and goddesses and were thought to be their good luck.
Ancient Egypt Beads were used by ancient Egyptians for beauty, fashion, decoration, and vanity. Early t beads were of wood, stone, shell, clay, and bone. Faience beads are a type of ceramic beads, with a blue glaze. It was for the first time in human history that clay and other materials were combined and kiln fired to create a totally new material.
This newly formed plain-colored material turned vibrant shades of yellow, red, brown, green, turquoise, orange, auburn, and blue when kiln fired. Another particularly unique use of the tubular shaped faience beads was the making of mummy nets. The tube beads were assembled into a network that was used in wrapping the mummies.
Apart from shape and size, the color was another very significant element in the ancient Egyptian designs. It was important not just for the aesthetic reasons, but also for each color had a specific meaning. For example, green symbolized new crop growth and fertility. Thus, ancient Egyptian Beads were symbols of good luck, fortune, love, joy, fertility not only during life but also as a funerary figurine afterlife.
