Fabrice De Backer

Northern Mesopotamian Jewelry in the Iiird Millennium B.c.: Some Considerations Fabrice De Backer

Jewelry is not only worn for its pleasant appearance, because there are some more reasons for the possession of jewels. There was obviously an inclination for the shapes or the colours of the materials, as we also find bronze and copper jewellery, which must have been polished when they adorned people or other things. As there is also a proportion of frit, faïence, even clay beads recovered in jewelry assemblages, it seems people who could not afford the precious stones had to turn themselves to cheaper ones or copies, as it is still the fact today with fashion items or strass. As they were quite scarce, and hard to obtain, some goods became obviously precious and researched. So people, who could afford it, tried to get some of these, mainly because it is a pleasant and sure way for one to keep some ?emergency funds? over in case of problems.