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BE ONE OF CLEOPATRA'S JEWELERS


Extended till end of May by popular demand! Many of the entries that have been posted are very beautiful, original designs and some have been quite clever! Because of the time required to design elaborate pieces and at the request of many JewelryLessons members, Jewelry Expressions is extending this challenge through the month of May.


Jodi Bombardier and Franchezka Westwood are inviting you in this month event that is not to create a piece inspired by Cleopatra, but instead, to create a piece that you think Cleopatra would wear. Be Cleopatra’s Jeweler!


When we picture this Queen of the Nile, we think of the fantastic jewelry skills the Egyptian artisans had. Only using basic tools and tons of patience they did create awesome necklaces, pendants and lots of accessories full of gems and stones.


The metal of choice was pure gold, and the stones they loved were lapis lazuli, bright turquoise, and carnelian, which they obtained through extensive trading in the Middle East. They also used a lot of colored glass that was treated with the same respect as the gemstones. Glass, gold and gemstones were carved with great skill with a keen eye for detail and composition.


Jewelry was worn in everyday life and also in death so they could be equally dressed up in after life. The jewelry was mostly made in large workshops attached to the temples or palaces and the use of color was very important and strictly defined: e.g. green was worn for fertility and good crops, red was worn to satisfy Isis thirst for blood. pieces include anklets, bracelets, broad collars and head gear.


Cleopatra's favorite stone was the emerald. The emerald symbolizes love, fidelity and abundance. It is said that Cleopatra was so fascinated, that she had an emerald mine near the Red Sea.



More history to help inspire you to create Cleopatra a piece of jewelry:
Cleopatra VII was born in Alexandria in the year 69 BC and descended from Greece. She was 17 or 18 years when she became the queen of Egypt and was the only one of her family who spoke Egyptian, as well as her mother tongue of Greek.


To conquer Marco Antonio, Cleopatra came in a barge with purple sails and golden and silver colors of the oars. The boat was sailed by their servants who were dressed as sea nymphs. Cleopatra dressed as Venus, the goddess of love. She reclined under a canopy of gold, being fanned by boys in Cupid costumes. Marco Antonio was impressed by this display of luxury, as Cleopatra had intended and quickly, they became lovers.


Cleopatra had no great beauty, but she knew how to be noticed through her gift of being very talkative. Her image was placed on a silver coin of which one side was with her face and the other side with the image of the Marco Antonio.


It is not that her beauty was so unique as to cause astonishment and admiration, but her personality, charm, voice and grace was such that it was impossible to resist.


Cleopatra was one of the queens who was decorated as a God. She was seen in Egypt as the reincarnation of Isis. By being identified as and with the goddess Isis, Cleopatra was able to present herself as a good mother to her son, a good queen to her nation, and a good goddess to her people. Cleopatra’s palace was the temple of Isis. One of the wonderful things about this temple are the carvings. The carvings were done so that if you run your fingers across them you can feel and see what is on them.


Cleopatra was the Queen of Snakes. She is like the original woman, Eve, with religions having condemned her for her interaction with the evil snake. Cleopatra was identified with the snake during her life and it became even more highly symbolic in her death. The snake was the emblem of the royal house of Egypt and was the Egyptian goddess Isis' sacred animal. Cleopatra was even called the "viper of the Nile" as a result of her evil, serpentine nature and tendency to smother men. Cleopatra was publicly accused for the use of magic, incest, animal worship, drugs, drunkenness and unbridled lust.


Supposedly, she committed suicide (she let herself be bitten by an aspic snake) flanked by her loyal maidens. Losing the love of her life and her throne was something she couldn't live with. As she wished, she was buried next to Marco Antonio.


If you want to see a video about Cleopatra’s life Click here:
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/search.php?terms=cleopatras+beguiling&media=video


Egyptian symbols and their definitions that might help with design inspiration: http://www.egyptartsite.com/symlst.html


So, let’s see all those brilliant pieces of jewelry that Cleopatra would have proudly worn! Uncoil the shiny brass wire that sings, on with the green and the blue and red with creative urges need to be fed!

Note: We want to thank Cleopatra Kerckhof her special collaboration with in this article.