Древнеегипетские украшения фараонов и принцесс опередили современный люкс на тысячелетия

Decades before contemporary jewellers turned precious stones into luxury trends, ancient Egypt had mastered poise and splendour. Gold, lapis lazuli, turquoise, carnelian and a multitude of colourful minerals were crafted into impressive bracelets, necklaces and amulets which were symbols of wealth and spiritual safety for the royals. From the beautiful treasures hidden with Queen Hetepheres to Tutankhamun's famous funeral treasures, here are five objects proving that Egyptian royalty knew what they were doing in jewellery fashion, long before the modern luxury market existed. If there is one ancient Egyptian jewellery item that could go right to a modern red carpet, it has to be Queen Hetepheres' bracelets. Hetepheres I was the spouse of Pharaoh Sneferu and mother of Khufu, the pharaoh known for his association with the Great Pyramid of Giza. Her burial equipment included an incredible collection of jewellery, which featured silver bracelets decorated with stones such as turquoise, lapis lazuli, and carnelian, adding a vivid texture of bright blue and green that contrasted with the silver. These were her iconic Butterfly Bracelets. (Image Credits: Pinterest) Queen Ahhotep I, had an ardent desire for royal jewellery. Her extraordinary royal jewellery came to light when her burial was discovered. Amongst the pieces found was a spectacular bracelet constructed out of gold and lapis lazuli, which featured representations related to kingship and divine legitimacy in Egypt. Her other bracelet is made of thirty gold strands, interwoven with semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli, turquoise and carnelian beads. The brooch belonged to Egyptian princess Sithathoryunet and was discovered in her underground burial place, which was located next to the Senwosret II pyramid in Lahun. Estimated to have been created around 1887-1878 BCE, this piece is an incredible work, linked to the throne name of the king, and has 372 pieces of precious stone. The materials used are gold, carnelian, lapis lazuli, turquoise, and garnet. Another precious object from ancient Egypt is the ornaments worn by Princess Mereret, daughter of Pharaoh Senwosret III. The discoveries were made at Dahshur, where the items were found in the tomb complex of Senwosret III. What made this case striking was the fact that although the tombs of the royal women had been ransacked, the treasures of Mereret and those of the other princesses survived intact. The well-known pectoral, made of gold, was decorated with lapis lazuli, turquoise, carnelian, and amethyst. The centrepiece is the title of the king written in hieroglyphs, while the overall design includes images of a falcon and a sphinx and shows the protective goddess Nekhbet with spread wings over the royal cartouche. Discovered within the tomb of the young king, the magnificent ornament is centred around a blue lapis lazuli scarab, which is associated with Khepri, the god of scarabs and rebirth. Above it is a red carnelian sun, and the scarab has wings made in a distinctive gold hue. The ornament is made with valuable materials such as gold, lapis lazuli, and carnelian, used in the typical jewel-toned jewellery of Tutankhamun.