Perhaps the most familiar form of revival jewelry is the cameo. Whose grandmother did not have one of these in her jewelry box? Its roots trace to classical mythology. Done well, a cameo is a thing of beauty loaded with symbolism. Right now, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has quite a collection on display.
Revival is always happening in the jewelry world, but archaeological revival had its heyday in the second half of the 19th century, when all kinds of treasure was being excavated all over Europe.
Jewelers have been tapping into the exoticism of Ancient Egypt for centuries. Two museum exhibitions have gathered some of the best, from ancient to Deco.