Mediterranean Jewelry Collection

In ancient times the Mediterranean was the primary means of transport for trade and cultural exchange among the people of the region, namely the Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, and the Middle-East. During the Italian Renaissance, Venice flourished as a gateway to the riches of the Orient, becoming the world capital of glassmaking. Torre del Greco, near the Bay of Naples, became the center of the Mediterranean coral industry. Greece has a strong tradition of working with ceramics. Many of the pieces in this collection include modern day terra cotta beads from Greece. Eye beads, talismans against the Evil Eye, can be found throughout Turkey and the Middle East. Israel is known for its stylized silver beads and Hebron glass. This collection contains pieces both indicative of these ancient civilizations as well as modern pieces having Mediterranean style and beads or components from these countries.