Story of silver ornament beads started four thousand years back. Humans always fascinated about this white metal once considered more valuable than any other precious metal available on the planet.
Wonderful story of sterling silver beads origins
At times in our world's history, silver has been more valuable than gold. In Egypt in 2000-1400 B.C., silver was used to make jewelry when it was available, but it was quite rare, and many pieces were eventually cut apart or melted down for use as currency (coins did not exist). However, this period of time marked the beginning of use of metal-capped beads in the Middle East.
After the Persian War, jewelry in Greece became much more abundant. The Classical period, from about 475-330 B.C., saw the use of a plethora of beads, including interlocking beads. In Iran, a gold-bead and pearl necklace has been discovered that probably dates from the Persian Empire (4th century B.C.); the necklace was part of a cache of jewelry that was almost certainly hidden away around 330 B.C., when Alexander the Great's troops were advancing into the area.
Silver jewelry in the shapes of animals began to appear in China between 600 B.C. and 600 A.D. It is believed that the Chinese had little interest in precious metals until they interacted with nomads from the north and west. The nomads taught the Chinese how to make hooks for belts that held the wearer's sword. Some of these belt-hooks were made of silver and decorated with gilding and semi-precious stones. Another find in that region was a silver belt buckle in the shape of a crouching horse; the buckle dates from the 3rd or 2nd century B.C. Interestingly, also dating from 600 B.C. to 600 A.D. was a hoard of silver unearthed in Spain that included bracelets featuring animal- or snake-heads on one end.
Another exceptional silver jewelry piece was located in northern Italy. This piece, one silver brooch of a pair, dates from the 5th or 4th century B.C. Yet another intriguing find that dates from the early Iron Age is a silver cauldron embellished inside and out with figures of gods and goddesses, animals, and even a sacrificial scene.
Though examples of silver jewelry from ancient times are few and far between, it is fascinating that they exist at all. These pieces serve as inspiration for modern designers and provide an historical perspective that buyers will find meaningful. The fact that silver beads were used to make jewelry as many as 4000 years ago offers us a link to our past through the art of jewelry design.
Today's sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver; the remaining 7.5% is typically copper. Pure (99.9%) silver is not usually utilized in making jewelry because it is too soft. Even beginning jewelry designers and hobbyists should maintain a supply of
sterling silver beads to enhance and accentuate their creations. New designers may want to start with 2mm and 3mm beads and experiment with larger bead sizes as they become more comfortable and proficient at working.