This contemporary necklace has been
composed of genuine Ancient Egyptian faience
beads from the New Kingdom period dating
around 1600-1100 B.C. and genuine Ancient
Roman carnelian beads dating from 100-300
A.D.
Most ancient Egyptian beads were made of
faience, a glass-composite glaze which was
introduced as early as the Pre-Dynastic period.
According to Egyptologists, most beads were
made on an axis, probably of thread, which
would burn up during firing, leaving a hole.
Disc, ring and tubular beads were made by
coating the axis with the unfired body-paste,
rolling the cylinder to an even diameter on a
flat surface, and then scoring it with a knife
into sections of the desired length. Other
shapes, such as ball beads, were rolled
between the hands and perforated while still
wet with a stiff point such as a wire needle.
The beads were then dried, coating with glaze
(if the glaze had not already been mixed with
the paste), and fired. The firing process often
gave the beads a beautiful translucent quality.
The majority of faience beads are blue or
green in color, but black, red yellow and white
ones were also produced, especially in the New
Egyptian Kingdom.
The ancient Egyptians believed that fiery
orange-red carnelian was the distilled essence
of the Sun's rays, and many of the jewels of
the Pharaohs were carved from it. The name
of this generally translucent variety of
chalcedony comes from the Latin word for
flesh, for that is what its warm reddish tones
reminded the Romans of. Since earliest times,
carnelian has been prized for its rich, radiant
color like the heart of a glowing fire. Carnelian
jewels have been discovered in the Royal
tombs of Ur, Egypt and the Holy Land. One
royal lady of ancient Jordan was found buried
with a carnelian and gold necklace over ten
feet in length. The Prophet Mohammed
himself is said to have worn a ring set with
this gem. As an amulet, carnelian is favored to
act on the blood, preventing it from rising in
excess to the head, stopping nosebleed, easing
menstrual flow and causing blood to circulate
smoothly throughout the body. It is believed
to make the skin healthy and youthful,
removing sores and blemishes when worn.
Because of its calming effects on the blood,
carnelian also makes one feel peaceful and
slow to anger. It is theorized that the color
orange is the harmonious balance of
passionate, creative red and bright, cheerful
yellow, which makes it particularly soothing to
wear. Carnelian is the perfect stone to achieve
that blissful state of balance.
