Saturday, April 12, 2014
Triangle
A triangle by definition is a 2 dimensional geometric figure with 3 corners (angles) and therefore it also has 3 sides. The ancient Egyptians used triangles in designing their pyramids. Some theorums concerning triangles have been attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras who lived in the 6th Century BC although there is some question as to whether Pythagoras himself formulated Pythagorean mathematics or whether it was done later by some of his followers. The triangle is important in the ideas of Euclidean geometry and is the basis for many mathematical formulae. Euclid was a Greek mathematician who lived about 300 years after Pythagoras (in the 3rd Century BC) in Alexandria which was a Hellenized Egyptian city. Persian and Chinese mathematicians wrote about the mathematics of triangles in the Middle Ages. The study greatly advanced in the 17th century with the work of the French mathematician Blaise Pascal.
The Jewish Star of David consists of 2 intertwining triangles. It has been found on some Hebrew artifacts dating back to antiquity, but later around the 17th Century it became a symbol of the Jewish religion.
Triangles have played a prominent role in various designs in jewelry and architecture. In sculpture and paintings, the triangles is more likely to be found more prominently in Modern Art although it might found in a more subtle way in earlier art.
The triangular shaped metal earrings pictured above were handcrafted by the Beadshaper. You can see more of her work at Metal Jewelry Shaper
Monday, April 7, 2014
Oval
The word oval means egg shaped or egg-like in shape. A geometric oval that is shaped with both points at each end equal (as opposed to a real egg in which one end is broader than the other) is called an ellipse.
An oval with a line inside it at one end was used in ancient hieroglyphics to surround the name of the Pharaoh. This oval was inscribed on an amulet that was worn by the Pharaoh. It came to signify good luck and eventually was worn by other people.
In architecture one of the earliest known religious temples was one with an oval floor plan found in Mesopotamia at Khafaja, Iraq which is believed to have existed around 2700 BC. In ancient Rome, amphitheaters were often oval shaped.
As for the oval shape in jewelry and beads, perforated egg shells were used in jewelry in Pre-Historic times. Later with the advent of civilization, ovals were found in jewelry made of various materials.
The oval shaped lampwork glass bead pictured above was handcrafted by the Beadshaper. You can see more of her work at Beadshaper
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Pendants
Pendants were among the earliest forms of jewelry. A copper pendant believed to have been made in Sumeria, the first civilization, around 8700 B.C. has been found by archaeologists. In Babylonia around the 8th Century B.C. seals that were used to sign documents by imprinting in wet clay tablets were worn as pendants. The earliest pendants were made of stone, but later glass and gemstones were substituted. The Pharaohs in agent Egypt wore a type of pendant called a cartouche. The cartouche had a rectangular shape and had the name of the Pharaoh inscribed on it. It was supposed to protect him from evil. The ancient Greeks made gold pendants. The Greek necklace often featured multiple small vase-shaped pendants portraying figures of deities in Greek mythology. The ancient Romans also made gold pendants, but they more often consisted of one focal pendant. Sometimes a cabochon gem would be set in the gold pendant. Pendants were also worn in ancient India and ancient China.
You can find a great assortment of modern day handcrafted pendants like the one pictured above at Metal Jewelry
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