Jewelry Jewelry has been used as personal ornament throughout the ages and around the world. These small, intricate pieces of art and workmanship are very complex and often fragile. Jewelry can be hand-made or machine-made of a variety of materials including metals, class, ceramics, bone, stone, shell, pearl, etc. Anthropologists suggest the first ornaments were the by-products of a hunt such as vertebrae, teeth, claws, and horns. Ancient and historic jewelry are often made of metals (gold, silver, alloys), organic materials (teeth, shell, pearls, etc.). Jewelry is cared for by objects conservators and by specialist jewelers who have studied historic and ancient technology and materials.   If you have any questions, ask a conservator.

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