In the 15th century the first theoretical works dealing with ornamentation appeared, followed in the 16th century by many guides to ornamentation, mostly by Italian authors and directed toward amateurs.

How did the story of ornamentation begin?

Riegl traced formalistic continuity and development in decorative plant forms from Ancient Egyptian art and other ancient Near Eastern civilizations through the classical world to the arabesque of Islamic art. ... The Ancient Egyptian culture is arguably the first civilization to add pure decoration to their buildings.

Where is the origin of body ornamentation?

According to the report, the technology for making body ornaments such as beads and pendants emerged simultaneously in Europe, Asia and Africa more than 40,000 years agoperhaps as a new form of communication among the expanding populations in these regions.