THE MIKINAIC ERA

In the era of Mikinaic civilization 1600-1400 BC there is a big flourish, in citys-states of continental Greece, in metal art (copper, silver tin, gold) and there is a big development of goldsmith and of processing of semi valuable stone (stamp marking) (stonework).

Jewellery accompanies man at the major stages in his life cycle, such as birth and marriage, as well as at important moments of expressing love. The tradition of silver and goldmithing in Greece is lost in the mists of time. In Greek mythology Hephaestus, god of fire, the "divine smith", appears as the inventa of metal working. In his Olympian forge he fashioned such magnificent works as Achilles shield, Herakles' golden breast-plate, Zeus' scepter and throne, Ariadnes' wedding crown. In the course of 5000 years miniature creations in metd, noble are base, have made their mark on Hellenic civilization.

The choice of the wedding ring that will accompany the finger of the right hand forever is a very important case. What is the symbolization of a Wedding ring?? When the wedding ring established as accustom and by whom? First of all we must clearify that an Engagement ring and a Wedding ring is not the same. The engagement ring borned after 13th century when Pope Innokentios. The P declared that it should be a period between the engagement and the marriage.

The beginnings of Greek jewellery can be traced back to remote prehistory. Masterpieces of exceptional workmanship and finesse have been found in Crete and on other Aegean islands where the Minoan civilization flourished, while astonishing are the finds from Mycenae, whose civilization succeeded the Minoan and constituted the basis for the development of historical Greek civilization, nurturing the narrative of the Homeric Epic, as well as the literature and iconography of Antiquity.