#cheapsidehoard

1/7/2014 Location: Museum of London trip on 1/6/2014

The Museum of London now carries almost the entire family of jewels familiarly known as the Cheapside Hoard. As we were taken through the exhibit, magnifying glass in hand, we discovered how this hoard came to be. For those of you reading this who have not heard about the story, you can follow along. 

The background of this discovery starts with workmen who were excavating a cellar near an area called Cheapside in London. They came upon a wooden box and when they opened it up jewels of all sorts were found. Many of which, we as a class, were able to examine firsthand. After finding the jewels and gems, they were quickly sold for money to some sort of antique or pawnshop jeweler, eventually making it to a museum. So, here we are today just over 100 years later looking at these beautiful pieces. What intrigued me most out of this hoard, wasn't so much the story of how it was found or how it was made,rather, it was the symbolic meaning of the gemstones. This jewelry, most which was made from various gemstones, came from the 16th and 17th centuries.

In this exhibit we learned about the Great Fire of 1666 and how many other plagues or viruses may have affected the movement and meaning of these market items. Most of the gemstones held a value much greater than the beauty. Certain stones such as emeralds were worn by women to protect them from such calamity like the plague. After discovering that fact, I was drawn in to find the meaning of some others, and I wasn't disappointed. 

In particular, I showed a liking for a gem that was light green in color and carved in the shape of a parrot which symbolized new love. The color white was a symbol of purity and amethyst was a symbol of sobriety or the sobering of violent passions and drunkenness. [All of which hold some connection to our college experiences.] Other interesting gems like bloodstone were carried with the belief that it cured blood disorders due to its dark stone with drops of blood red within it. This hoard was not just beautiful to the eye, it was also very important to the heart and soul of those who wore them, it wasn't hard to see that.  Experiencing these gems up close just inches away was a sight for sore eyes. Their colors and how they are still beautiful today is unbelievable. I enjoyed how art in this form really had a strong effect on people of the age and still does today. Gemstones hold a meaning close to many individuals, including myself. As the past continues to move farther away, the memories, artifacts and way of life continue to build and leave a legacy for all of us to enjoy (and look good wearing!).