Yvonne J. Markowitz – författare

Located at the intersection of trade routes from central Africa, the ancient Near East, and the Classical world, ancient Nubia ruled the entire Nile Valley at the height of its power in the eighth century bc. Its neighbour and frequent rival Egypt called it ‘the gold lands’ because its territories held such an abundance of the precious metal, and because its inhabitants produced some of the most finely crafted jewelry of the ancient world. This book features over 100 adornments and personal accessories from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which houses the finest collection of Nubian jewelry outside Khartoum. The first comprehensive introduction to the sophisticated jewels of this great empire, it reveals how Nubian artisans employed techniques that would not be reinvented in Europe for another thousand years, and how the original owners valued such possessions not only for their inherent beauty, but also because they were imbued with magical meanings. Exquisite photography and an authoritative history written by leading experts make this book essential for both jewelry aficionados and anyone interested in the great cultures of the ancient world.

The fascination with personal adornment is universal. It is a preoccupation that is primal, instinctive, and uniquely human. 'Jewelry' encompasses a seemingly endless number of ornaments produced across time and in all cultures. The range of materials and techniques used in its construction is extraordinary, even revolutionary, with new substances and methods of fabrication added with every generation. In any given society, master artisans have devoted their time, energy and talent to the fine art of jewellery making, creating some of the most spectacular objects known to humankind.This volume, geared toward jewellery makers, scholars, scientists, students and fashionistas alike, begins with a lively introduction that offers a cultural history of jewellery and its production. The main text provides information on the most common, iconic and culturally significant forms of jewellery and also covers materials, techniques, and manufacturing processes. Containing eighty colour illustrations, this guide will be invaluable to all those wishing to increase their understanding and enjoyment of the art of jewellery.

Why dopeople wear jewelry? What meaning does it hold for the wearer? And what doesthe wearer hope it will convey to those they encounter-or to someone viewingtheir image decades, even centuries, later? Artistic renderings of the human figure-in portraiture, sculpture, andother media-in a range of allegorical, historical, and religious images oftenshowcase jewelry. The ornaments depicted in such designs offer an abundanceof information that not only heightens our understanding of the subject butalso provides insights into the imagination of the artist. Jewelry enhancesour enjoyment of works of art because it is visually compelling, sensuous,and laden with an array of associations and symbolic meanings. Bringing together spectacular and significant art objects depicting figureswearing sumptuous personal adornments that define who they are within thespecific milieus in which they lived, this richly illustrated and accessiblevolume represents a novel, interdisciplinary approach to the ways in whichjewelry can be studied and understood.Beyond Adornment takes the reader on a captivating journeythrough time and across cultures worldwide, reflecting on the fundamental humandesire to wear jewelry. A wide array of fascinating jewels from the ordinary tothe extraordinary give insight into the personal lives and public faces ofindividual wearers, revealing how jewelry has accompanied us from the cradle tothe grave. A stunning selection of sculptures and portraits bring the subjectto life, showing how jewelry is more than simply adornment.-BeatrizChadour-Sampson, jewelry historian, author, curator and lecturer

An extraordinary book about one of he most comprehensive groupings of ancient Egyptian jewellery. Jewels of the Nile celebrates the very first time that the Worcester Art Museum's internationally important collection of Egyptian jewellery – which has undergone conservation and cleaning – has been shown together. This strikingly illustrated book introduces the reader to the collection of an early 20th century Boston couple with a passion for ancient Egypt. The collectors, Laura and Kingsmill Marrs, were guided in their acquisitions by Howard Carter, the archaeologist who would later achieve world-wide recognition for his discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun (1922). Under his guidance, the Marrs's purchased an outstanding selection of scarabs, amulets, jewellery and cosmetic-related articles, including rare blue-toned stone vessels. They also acquired a group of Carter's watercolour renditions of important Egyptian sites and royal figures. These artifacts, as well as objects from Worcester's stellar collection of Egyptian antiquities, are included in the publication. AUTHORS: Peter Lacovara is director of the Ancient Egyptian Archaeology and Heritage Fund and former curator at the MFA Boston and Michael C. Carlos Museum. Yvonne Markowitz is the Rita J. Kaplan and Susan B. Kaplan Curator Emerita of Jewellery at the MFA Boston; Paula Artal-Isbrand is the objects conservator who executed the cleaning and conservation treatment. 304 colour illustrations