The Making of the Jewelry

Sand, Clay, Stone and Gold

The ancient Egyptians are credited with having invented the lost wax method of casting metals, that is still common today. The method involved forming an original shape or structure out of rock, bone, or wax and then creating a negative cavity in clay, sand, plaster, or beeswax like the Egyptians did. Once this "negative" mold is made, one pours molten metal into the cavity and has thus cast their object into jewelry. (Lucas, 2012)

Metals used in ancient Egypt were most typically gold, copper, silver, and iron. Copper and gold were far easier to acquire than silver and iron became a resource rather late in Egyptian history, having been obtained from a meteorite the ancient's had discovered. Gold's melting point is roughly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. To achieve this level of heat, the Egyptians used charcoal and blow pipes to reach a molten state. (Hesse, 2007) In order to accomplish intricate wire-work, which much of their jewelry and beaded chains display, the Egyptians would hammer and roll the metal to create wire. This tedious process was most often done with gold as it is a malleable material. (Mahmoud,1970)