The Surprising Story Behind Egyptian Cartouche Jewelry

By Janine Hughes


If you have been looking at cultural jewelry or pieces that have a historic flare to them you may have noticed a certain style popping up. The style of jewelry usually involves a pendant or ring in the shape of an oval. Inside the oval is a series of images. Some are birds, some are animals and others are people. Each icon has a specific meaning. Put inside an oval cartouche, they can make striking accent pieces for anyone to wear. Here is what you need to know about buying Egyptian cartouche jewelry.

Hieroglyphics are an ancient system of Egyptian writing. They were used for thousands of years. Then, as the civilization waned, the knowledge of what they meant or even what they were was lost. It took some dedicated work by explorers and historians to figure out what these symbols of birds, animals and other things actually meant. They had seen these icons on walls of temples and tombs that they were exploring. They realized they were significant and started trying to find out the meaning behind the hieroglyphics.

Some areas had lines of symbols on buildings and items. They covered the cases that mummies rested in. They covered the surface of furniture and seemed to be telling a story. In some areas, the lines of symbols were broken up by oval shapes that enclosed some icons. As the historians decoded more and more of the alphabet, they began to realize that the ovals enclosed names. Often, they were the names of royalty but this was not always the case.

Once historians knew what the symbols meant, it wasn't long before ordinary people were wanting to play around with them. They wanted to translate their own names, or other details into the Egyptian symbols. And ultimately, they wanted to find ways to use the symbols on pieces of jewelry. Shortly thereafter, cartouche pieces began to be found in more and more locations.

If you want to find and purchase one of these beautiful pieces there are a few things to consider. This will help you get a quality product that you will be happy to wear for years to come. It may seem frustrating to have to do some research and background checking but if you do, you stand a better chance of being happy with the finished product.

With any foreign language, it can be difficult to make sure you are getting words spelled properly or laid out correctly. It makes it even more difficult when you are dealing with a system that is made up entirely of symbols. It took years of research and experimentation before the first translations were made. By working with a reputable website or book you have a better chance of getting the right symbols that have the meaning you are looking for.

It's always important when buying precious metal pieces online that you deal with sites that have a good reputation. You want to make sure that you are getting the metal purity you pay for. Just remember that if gold is more pure, it is more expensive. Unfortunately, it also means that it is softer as well and may not be as suitable for making pieces like these jewelry pieces.

The good thing about the interest in ancient Egypt is that there are many sources where you can look for these pieces. Taking the time to choose what you like will help ensure that over time, you will only become more and more pleased with your piece. You can wear it knowing that there is a secret message that you can wear and only a few people will be able to tell its meaning.




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