Egyptian revivial

In 1922, Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings sparked an unprecedented curiosity in the West for all things Egyptian. Carter’s famous first words, “Everywhere, the glint of gold”, alerted the world’s greatest jewellers to the potential of a revival.

Created just three years after Carter’s discovery, this exquisite piece by Alfredo Castellani takes direct inspiration from Egyptian mythology and the jewels of the after-life. The central motif of the scarab conjures up the dung beetle God, Khepera, who was thought to roll the sun across the sky.

Beautifully wrought gold wirework and granulation adorn this bracelet, recalling the glories of the ancient world but using modern techniques. This piece’s playful reworking of ancient symbols demonstrates not just a modern culture’s fascination with the past but jewellery’s unique ability to make that history tangible and electrifying.