walk like an Egyptian

[wildchilde]

I had the opportunity yesterday to visit the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and got some pics of the jewelry that was worn in ancient Egypt.

Carnelian necklaces, apparently, were all the rage. But I also saw some (not identified) wonderful pieces of Lapis Lazuli and what I think was Turquoise or possibly Green Malakite beads. I was surprised to learn too that the famous Egyptian eye shadow was made of powdered Malakite! (I thought that was poisonous!! maybe this is why so many of the royals died young??) I also saw a necklace with a huge blue rough that I would swear was Sodalite. I wish the museum curators would have identified the non Carnelian pieces.

A lot of stuff was carved from Calcite from ceremonial items to everyday dishware and the museum also kept mentioning something called "self-glazing quartz" used on the pottery pieces which was beautiful but I am not really sure what it is.

Here are a few pics, though.

[Lotus Padma]

Originally Posted by wildchilde

I had the opportunity yesterday to visit the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and got some pics of the jewelry that was worn in ancient Egypt.

Carnelian necklaces, apparently, were all the rage. But I also saw some (not identified) wonderful pieces of Lapis Lazuli and what I think was Turquoise or possibly Green Malakite beads. I was surprised to learn too that the famous Egyptian eye shadow was made of powdered Malakite! (I thought that was poisonous!! maybe this is why so many of the royals died young??) I also saw a necklace with a huge blue rough that I would swear was Sodalite. I wish the museum curators would have identified the non Carnelian pieces.

A lot of stuff was carved from Calcite from ceremonial items to everyday dishware and the museum also kept mentioning something called "self-glazing quartz" used on the pottery pieces which was beautiful but I am not really sure what it is.

Here are a few pics, though.

fascinating stuff, Wild! I know aventurine is common in that part of the world, and carnelian in red and in green as well...also very popular in India...I read that the high priests of Egypt wore breastplates of Imperial Topaz to protect themselves, as well as Lapis and Amber. Must have been a fascinating tour of the museum, though I do understand your frustration with identifying minerals! Malachite, I see, is high in copper content and as copper is highly toxic your assessment of the cause of death amongst young royals may be correct - they were frequently offed, as well, by others for political reasons, but the Malachite theory seems as sound as any other! ;p we do know that Medieval women poisoned themselves with the lead powder on their faces, after all...

[Zoreena]

Originally Posted by wildchilde

I had the opportunity yesterday to visit the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and got some pics of the jewelry that was worn in ancient Egypt.

Carnelian necklaces, apparently, were all the rage. But I also saw some (not identified) wonderful pieces of Lapis Lazuli and what I think was Turquoise or possibly Green Malakite beads. I was surprised to learn too that the famous Egyptian eye shadow was made of powdered Malakite! (I thought that was poisonous!! maybe this is why so many of the royals died young??) I also saw a necklace with a huge blue rough that I would swear was Sodalite. I wish the museum curators would have identified the non Carnelian pieces.

A lot of stuff was carved from Calcite from ceremonial items to everyday dishware and the museum also kept mentioning something called "self-glazing quartz" used on the pottery pieces which was beautiful but I am not really sure what it is.

wow! the eye of Horus is a particularly awesome pic. The Egyptians were actually responsible for the tarot because they used their knowledge as symbolism in the cards. When the great library in Alexandria burned, the priests from Egypt had to find a way to pass on their knowledge, thus the earliest ancestor of the Tarot was born.

[magpie9]

Originally Posted by Zoreena

wow! the eye of Horus is a particularly awesome pic. The Egyptians were actually responsible for the tarot because they used their knowledge as symbolism in the cards. When the great library in Alexandria burned, the priests from Egypt had to find a way to pass on their knowledge, thus the earliest ancestor of the Tarot was born.

You may find spending some time on the historical forum interesting and worthwhile, Zoreena.

[Lotus Padma]

WildChilde, I also read last night while looking for rock identification that the Egyptians mined emeralds, and that Cleopatra began the first known emerald mines cool!

[wildchilde]

Originally Posted by Lotus Padma

WildChilde, I also read last night while looking for rock identification that the Egyptians mined emeralds, and that Cleopatra began the first known emerald mines cool!

ohhhh, I didn't know that! I don't remember seeing anything of that nature in the museum. And they even had a fairly large exhibit featuring Cleopatra!! Since much of the wealth was buried with the deceased in ancient Egypt, I guess it is no wonder that so many tombs were raided. My mind boggles with the amount of gems and precious stones that must have been sent to the afterlife.

[Lotus Padma]

Originally Posted by wildchilde

ohhhh, I didn't know that! I don't remember seeing anything of that nature in the museum. And they even had a fairly large exhibit featuring Cleopatra!! Since much of the wealth was buried with the deceased in ancient Egypt, I guess it is no wonder that so many tombs were raided. My mind boggles with the amount of gems and precious stones that must have been sent to the afterlife.

lol! Yeah, with all the slaves and pets and wives following behind them ;p fascinating culture, but not sure I would want to be mummified, not for all the tea in China! ;p (or, for that matter, not for all the gems in Egypt, lol!)

[goosie]

Great pictures!

You'd think with all that copper people would've gone blind even before dying. But I imagine they probably felt they were adorning themselves with the properties of malachite, too.