Jewellery in Ancient Israel

Archaeologists have found the following items of jewellery in Israel, most of which are mentioned in the Bible as well:

A very popular type of necklace in Old Testament times was a string of beads made of different materials. The beads were made of precious stones (such as carnelian), glass, metal or bone. Metal beads could be beautifully decorated. On the bead necklace there were pendants made of bone, ivory, (semi-) precious stones or metal. The pendants were cylindrical or crescent-shaped, for instance. Sometimes a phial of perfume was attached to the necklace.
 
In the Old Testament there are references to necklaces in Song of Songs 1:10, Song of Songs 4:9 and Ezekiel 16:11.

Rings were often made of silver and were simple in shape. Some rings had a seal or a scarab attached to them. Signet rings were mainly worn by men, and other types of rings were worn by women.

We can find rings in the Bible, for example in Genesis 24:47, Proverbs 25:12, Song of Songs 5:14 and Hosea 2:13 (ESV). Rings are also mentioned in Isaiah 3:16-24, where all the beautiful jewellery that the rich women of Jerusalem wore is enumerated.

Besides simple sickle-shaped earrings, earrings with pendants were very popular. Those pendants got bigger and heavier over time. They could be spherical or oval, or in the shape of a flower, a tassel or a “basket”. Earrings were made of bronze or silver or — less often — gold.

In Exodus 32:2 we can read about the Israelites’ golden earrings, which Aaron used to make a golden idol. In Genesis 35:4 Jacob’s family and companions give Jacob their earrings, because they had to discard everything that reminded them of foreign gods.

Nose rings were usually worn in the right nostril. Sometimes they were adorned with beads or pendants. In exceptional cases they could be nearly three inches (about 8 cm) long, in which case they would dangle in front of the mouth.

We can find a biblical reference to nose rings in Genesis 24:22-30, where Abraham’s servant gives Rebecca a nose ring and bracelets.

Bracelets were usually made of bronze, or less frequently of silver or gold. They were worn by both men and women. Men wore heavier, thicker types, and women wore thinner and lighter ones. Bracelets could be closed or open at the ends. Open bracelets sometimes had ends that were fashioned like the head of an animal (for example a snake’s head).

The Old Testament mentions bracelets in Numbers 31:50, Isaiah 3:19, Ezekiel 16:11 and Ezekiel 23:42.

Anklets were worn as well. They were usually made of bronze, or very rarely of silver or gold. They were generally shaped like a ring (rather than a chain). In some eras, anklets gave information about the marital status of a woman. When a woman wore an anklet on both ankles, this meant she was unmarried, but when she wore only one anklet, she was married.

For a reference to anklets in the Old Testament, see Isaiah 3:18.

From the Iron Age, “fibulae” were in fashion in Israel. Fibulae are a type of safety pin shaped like a triangle or a bow that were used to fasten clothing. They were made of bronze or iron and were sometimes decorated or covered in a layer of green patina.