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Lecture Series    
Rocks - Now & Then

Rocks: Now & Then

 
Origin of Rocks & Minerals Many people believe that rocks are the most prevalent things in the Universe; either by weight, by volume or by logic.  Actually, they are the fourth most common substance: falling behind dark energy, dark matter and the number of unused brain cells in a high school classroom during a math test.  However, if you happen to be out in space, rocks would be the most likely things you would find whizzing around you because there are a bunch of them out there. If you are out in space and happen to see dark energy or dark matter instead, notify your publisher immediately that you are ready to write the prequel to "What Happened" (and concentrate on those math questions!).
History of Jewelry Making  

Actually all of the rocks that we are most familiar with come from our planet, Earth, which is, itself, a big rock: 7927 miles in diameter and weighing 7 sextillion tons, give or take a sextillion (and it's more fun to take a sextillion than it is to give one, don't let anyone kid you).  The Earth has a nickel-iron core, molten layer in the outer core, and several progressively lighter rock layers toward the surface layer which is composed of granite rock.  It is within the outer granite layer of the Earth that the majority of commercial minerals and gemstones are found. There are about 1,500 species of minerals which are natural, inorganic materials containing a three-dimensional pattern of atoms and a regular internal structure. Most rocks are aggregates of minerals and/or glass.  Gemstones are specific mineral specimens that have been extracted from rocks and fashioned because of their beauty, rarity and durability. Additionally, gems and jewelry may be created from organic origin items such as pearls (from oysters), amber and coral, or made from glass and synthetic materials.
Gemstones & Their Magic
   
 

 

 When pre-man first climbed out of the trees, he used rocks only as throwing weapons and conking weapons.  In fact, his military arsenal consisted primarily of rocks and sticks which he eventually learned to tie together to make hatchets and arrows once menue viande took hold.  Conking weapons could be used to get a date, while throwing weapons were used to bring home that other white meat.  There were surely pet rocks which early man retained for their beauty or because they produced a good kill, but rocks weren't used extensively for ornamentation.  For millions of years of our evolution, the tools and expertise did not exist to fashion rocks into jewelry. The art of drilling a hole was not applied to inanimate objects.
   
   

For a space of the last 40,000 years however, archaeologists have found jewelry made for adornment & mating attraction by Cro-Magnon, Neanderthal & Homo Sapiens. The earliest known jewelry was made from organic materials such as bone and shells.  Prior to learning to make jewelry, pre-human males grew red, yellow & green feathers on their ears which they wiggled to attract a mate. Feathers would fly. Following the creation and use of jewelry however, the feather adaptation was no longer necessary and atrophied over time (as our little toe will one day do also *). Today, very few modern men can wiggle their ears anymore. Sadly, an increasingly fewer number even wish to try.  Maybe it's the time of year or maybe it's the age of man.

   
   

Nevertheless, as man has evolved, jewelry has become a more varied, beautiful and significant aspect of life. Jewelry making has existed as an industry for at least the last 5,000 years. During this time man & his mate have continuously made and worn jewelry for wealth display and storage, functional uses such as clasps and pins, symbolism (to reflect status in a community), artistic display & allurement and  because of religious, mythological & spiritual beliefs, & medicinal effects.
   
 

 

 * If I was a Nashville songwriter, I would write a song that said goodbye to our little toes.
   
   
   
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