From the late seventeenth century enslaved Hellenism began to organize itself, to develop an economy and to turn towards its roots.
This renaissance resulted in the flourishing of folk art, an art which is the natural heir to that of Byzantium.
Greek Jewellery
Jewellery-making Techniques
from Antiquity to Recent Times
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Neohellenic jewellery-making From the late seventeenth century enslaved Hellenism began to organize itself, to develop an economy and to turn towards its roots. This renaissance resulted in the flourishing of folk art, an art which is the natural heir to that of Byzantium. |
| Fig. 39 Gilded silver pectoral ornament from Attica (Athens, Benaki Museum) |
| There were remarkable creations in all spheres of folk art, not least jewellery, which developed apace. It was an ideal medium for prosperous merchants both to save and to display their wealth, as well as a functional element of the Greek folk costume. The elaborate pectoral ornaments, the kioustekia, the belt buckles, the headdress pins (tepelikia) and so on, at once fastened and adorned the different garments (figs 39,40,41). |
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| Fig. 40 Gilded silver earrings from Epirus (Athens, Benaki Museum). |
| Jewellery was made in permanent workshops. Renowned centres were Stemnitsa, Lamia, Yannina and, above all, two large villages in Pindos, Syrrako and Kalarrytes. On account of the special conditions prevailing in Greece at this time it is essential to distinguish between the jewellery of the Greek mainland and that of the Greek islands. |
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| Fig. 41 Gilded silver buckle from Saframboli Pontos (Athens, Benaki Museum). |
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The islands, both in the Ionian and the Aegean Sea, experienced a long period of Frankish occupation and so their jewellery does not constitute genuine examples of Greek folk art but rather copies western models. Island jewellery was frequently made of an alloy of gold, while its decoration was executed in a11 the known methods (filigree, granulation etc.), very often enriched with gemstones, pearls and enamel (figs 42,43,44). |
| Fig. 42 Gold necklace from Patmos, made from wire, enamel and precious stones (Athens, Benaki Museum). |