Page 23 - SMCK Magazine #4

cosmos reflects society, fAith, fAmily stories, history, politics And culturAl unity:
The universe. The ancient Greek philosopher Pythago- ras called the universe the “cosmos” (after the Greek κόσμος/cosmos for jewelry) to describe the beauty of the stars shining like diamonds through the holes of the black velvet textile with which Gods covered the sun! Jewelry can be seen as a tiny piece, a particle of the cosmos we carry with us; this cosmos is represented by the stones, metals, and other materials, as well as by the elements of wood, fire, wind, water used to make jewelry.
Metals’ qualities such as their color, change thus linking silver to the moon since early antiquity, while gold’s un- fading color connected it to the everlasting warmth and brightness of the sun. Other qualities, like the dia- mond’s strength and durability, are said to reflect on the wearer's character thus helping us understand the use of specific materials in royal jewelry.
Europe’s shared cultural heritage. Iron Age Europe wit- nessed the parallel progress man made in metallurgy in both the manufacture of arms and jewelry. Protection, hunting, war, as well distinctions, amulets, accumulation of wealth go hand in hand in Europe’s technological, spiritual, economic, and social development.
made using the same technique and found in sepulch- ral and religious sites, are silent but eloquent witnesses of an earlier unification in taste, symbols, and religious beliefs.
The survival of ancient customs. In tombs and altars, archaeologists find jewelry, offerings and identity sym- bols, proving that adornment accompanies faith and death. Even today, in Christian Greece, believers adorn icons of the Madonna with silver and golden votives or even their own jewelry to ask that they be granted a favor. Although Christianity does not favor sepulchral jewelry, in contemporary Greece, mourners still bury their beloved with their personal jewelry, such as wed- ding ring, baptismal cross, or engagement earrings.
Politics. Jewelry's potential to reach a broad public due to its mobile character can send messages no censor will ever be able to screen or decode. Thus, jewelry may become a revolutionary accessory. Jewelry-makers are among the pioneers establishing standards for en- vironmental protection in the arts and crafts.
Narrative. In his movie: Madame De..., German film- maker Max Orphüls tells the story of an aristocrat through her pair of earrings. Routine and excitement, hypocrisy and love, become obvious, as Madame De's lost earrings reveal plot changing secrets.
Moon-, spiral-, and diamond-shaped jewelry motifs,