Ancient Jewelry. 



dary's mill ? Even more necessary would such an implement 

 be for the purposes of inlaying; for granting that the Egyp- 

 tian or Assyrian workmen were able, by some rude means, to 

 fit their separate pieces of mosaic into the places prepared for 

 them, how would they level the whole surface, as they have 

 undoubtedly done, smoothing it and polishing it to a high 

 degree, without the action of some machine, revolving with 

 rapidity, which should make a clean sweep of it ? 



It is impossible to answer these questions. The utmost we 

 can do is to make careful guesses from visible facts. It may 

 be said that it was quite possible for the ancients to effect all 

 they did in the manufacture of jewelry without any of the 

 tools of the modern art workman, given the requisite time and 

 patience. Doubtless, this is one solution of the difficulty ; for 

 we know from later works, executed under difficult circum- 

 stances by prisoners and others, that it is almost impossible to 

 impose too hard a task on the ingenuity and perseverance of 

 man. But then, in such cases, time and labour must count for 

 next to nothing. 



Whatever the implements at his command, it is clearly 

 evident that the Egyptian and the Assyrian workman could 

 melt and alloy the precious metals ; could flatten them into 

 thin plate, draw them into fine wire, prepare punches to strike 

 them into ornamental shapes, and solder these shapes together. 

 Further, that he could chase and engrave ; that he could 

 " mount" the metal he had prepared into any form his taste 

 might suggest, and could inlay his mounted work with coloured 

 glasses and stones. Also, that he could make moulds, and 

 cast solid ornaments, could gild metal, and weave wire- chains. 

 Lastly, that he could cut, engrave, and polish the hardest 

 stones ; could set them in rings and as amulets ; and that his 

 taste had in it so much of vitality that it lives and inspires his 

 successors even to this hour. In fact, we may deny this 

 ancient craftsman the possession of many tools which appear 

 to us indispensable at the present day, to effect the same 

 object, but in doing so we only acknowledge, and must the 

 more admire, his skill and his perseverance. 



