| Egyptian Jewelry -- A Classic New Trend - 2 |
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Cartouche - the symbol of divine royalty The ancient Egyptians believed that their rulers, the Pharaohs, were descendants of the gods. While the name of anyone could be spelled out in hieroglyphs, only the names of royalty, or, in a few cases, gods themselves, would be encased in the cartouche symbol. The cartouche symbol, or shem, was originally round, and became elongated over several centuries, probably to accommodate the longer names of later pharaohs. The shape signifies a rope encircling the pharaoh's name and then tied at one end. This symbolized the pharaoh's divine rule over all that is contained in the cosmos. Today, modern Egyptian artisans make beautiful cartouche and ankh jewelry, which can be personalized with the wearer's name or other message in intriguing ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Egyptian art is known for its bright, rich colors as well as its stylized forms, and the jewelry is no exception. Finely crafted gold or silver jewelry with bright inlays of stone or richly colored enamel create a unique and remarkable look that is classic and timeless. Ann M. Hession is the founder of Egyptian Artisans [http://www.egyptianartisans.com]. A graduate of Harvard University, she has been fascinated by the art and culture of ancient Egypt since high school. Egyptian Artisans is dedicated to making the beauty and mystery of ancient Egypt available through fine Egyptian jewelry and art. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ann_M._Hession |