Jeweller - November 2023

News
Ancient jewellery collection
unearthed outside Zurich
Gold jewellery of the Pharaohs arrives in Australia
A man with a metal detector examining a carrot field
in Switzerland has uncovered an extensive collection
of ancient jewellery dating back to the Bronze Age.
In August, Franz Zahn was exploring the countryside
in Güttingen, northeast of Zurich, when he unearthed
a bronze disc and contacted local authorities.
Archaeologists identified the find as a necklace,
accompanied by an extensive jewellery collection
estimated to be from the Middle Bronze Age, dated
to approximately 1500 BC.
Archaeologists recovered rings, golden wire
spirals, and more than 100 amber beads in the
soil surrounding the necklace.
Eight spirals of gold and 14 bronze discs were
recovered, believed to be ‘costume’ or fashion
jewellery women wore approximately 3,500 years ago.
“The depot came into the ground at a time when
important advanced cultures were flourishing in the
Mediterranean region in Egypt and Crete,” a statement
from the Thurgau Office of Archeology reads.
“Hardly any settlements are known from this era in
Thurgau. In Güttingen, a few years ago, a large Bronze
Age pile-dwelling village with rich finds was examined
in the area of the ‘Mouse Tower’, although this only
dates back to around 1000 BC duration.”
The artifacts are being restored and will be
exhibited in the Museum of Archaeology in
Frauenfeld, Switzerland.
The unusual find in Switzerland follows other recent
discoveries of ancient treasures found by people with
metal detectors in Europe, including the ‘gold find of
the century’ in Norway.
It’s well known that humans have adored
jewellery for thousands of years; however,
have you stopped and considered what life
was like for jewellers so long ago?
The largest cultural exhibition to visit
Australia in more than 10 years arrives in
Sydney in November, with the launch of
‘Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs’ at
the Australian Museum.
It’s an interactive experience featuring more
than 180 priceless artefacts and ornate golden
treasures, including jewellery.
Head of exhibitions at the Australian Museum,
Fran Dorey, said it would be a rewarding
experience for those passionate about jewellery.
“One of the main attractions of the Ramses
exhibition at the Australian Museum is the
jewellery,” she told Jeweller.
“From the four-kilogram necklace of rolled gold
to very delicate cartouche rings, some of these
artefacts are more than 3,500 years old, and
every piece of jewellery in this exhibition tells a
fascinating story.”
She added: “Within the exhibition are some of
the finest examples of Egyptian jewellery from
any period. I am particularly interested in the
stories attached to these female artefacts from
12th Dynasty princesses.”
The exhibition is dedicated to the life and
times of King Ramses II, who ruled Egypt
for nearly 67 years – the second-longest
reign of any pharaoh.
All the objects showcased are sourced from
museums and historical sites in Egypt and are
on loan to the exhibition from Egypt’s Supreme
Council of Antiquities.
The connection between personal ‘story-telling’
and jewellery is well known; however, this
phenomenon was taken to another level in
Ancient Egyptian society.
It was believed that jewellery worn by royal
women gifted them superhuman powers,
allowing them to better support their kings as
‘guarantors of divine order’ on Earth. Because
the king benefited from these supposed magical
powers, his name was embedded in the designs
and not that of the princess.
Dorey said that one piece in particular
– the Collar of Psusennes I – was sure to
amaze visitors.
“This solid gold collar, crafted more than
3,000 years ago, is made of seven rows of thin,
disk-shaped gold beads. It is heavy, weighing
4.3 kilograms,” she said.
“Collars of this type were known as the
shebyu or ‘gold of honour,’ traditionally given
by a pharaoh to officials who had served with
particular distinction. This collar closes at the
back with a golden clasp decorated with the
king’s cartouches, flanked on one side by a
seated figure of Amun and on the other by a
seated figure of the goddess Mut.
“The inscription is carved into the gold and
inlaid with semi-precious gemstones.”
NSW Minister John Graham said that for those
passionate about the mysteries of Ancient
Egypt, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Egypt was one of the most powerful
civilisations in the centre of the ancient world,
and we are thrilled some of the greatest
Egyptian treasures are coming to Sydney with
Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs,” he said.
Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs opens on
18 November and runs until 19 May 2024.
28 | November 2023