History of Necklaces and Pendants

History of Necklaces and Pendants

        A Necklace is a form of jewelry

worn suspended around the neck. It is most commonly made in flexible forms such as a chain,

as a string of beads, pearls, gemstones, or other natural materials, or made of a more

inflexible band of metal embellished with gemstones, pearls, beads, or other techniques

such as engraving, filigree, repoussé, granulation, for example. Lengths of necklaces vary,

and specific types related to extremes in length range from a short choker or dog collar

necklace that fits right around the main portion of the neck to a long neck chain or string

of beads called a sautoir, sometimes worn hanging down to or past the waist.
       

        Symbolic Meanings   
        As with other pieces of jewelry, the Copper Zircon Necklace has been an

important site of decoration for the body but also of communication for the person. As a

valued material culture, necklaces communicate wealth, power, affiliation, prestige, levels

of resources and skill, and elements of identity and position. The durability of jewelry

like necklaces made of metal, glass beads, or gemstones provides an opportunity to

appreciate and understand the technology, cultural practices, artistry, and aesthetics of

other cultures and distant time periods. 
       

        Early Necklaces
    A simple necklace made from a string of local organic materials such as shells, teeth,

or bone beads is one of the forms of jewelry adopted by early cultures around the world.

More precious materials from farther away were also valued for early

Stainless Steel

Necklaces, frequently in the form of beads, such as those of Mediterranean red coral

found in a Neolithic burial in the Alps (circa 4200-3400 B.C.E.). Other early types of

necklace included the torc or torque, an ancient Celtic neckpiece made of twisted metal,

and the lunula, a flat, crescent-shaped and engraved variation of the torc found in Bronze

Age Ireland and Scotland (circa 1800-1500 B.C.E.)   
        Bracelets, cylindrical-shaped

ornaments worn encircling the wrist or upper arm, have been one of the most popular forms

of ornamentation since prehistoric times. Incredibly varied, bracelets are a universal form

of jewelry. Historically and culturally, they have been worn singly or in multiples by both

genders. Bracelets have been used for protective and decorative purposes, in rituals, and

to indicate one's social status.
        Materials 
        Materials for bracelets are innumerable. People from all cultures across the globe

have used indigenous or imported materials, man-made, and natural materials to make them.

While the majority are made from metals, they also have been made from insect secretions

(such as lac), rattan, wood, feathers, tortoiseshell, horn, teeth, tusks, feathers,

leather, and stone. Man-made materials include glass, faience, enamel, ceramic, and

plastic. Ancient Egyptians used bone and pebbles, adorned with finely worked beads and

pendants of jasper, turquoise, alabaster, lapis lazuli, cornelian, and feldspar. In Eastern

cultures, folk jewelry was often made of horn, brass, beads, and copper, while more

expensive and finer quality Copper Zirconium Bracelets were designed of mother-of-pearl, gold, and

silver. Skillful jewelers in China were able to make bracelets cut from a single piece of

jade. In India, the patwa (jewelry maker) often creates bracelets from braiding, knotting,

twisting, or wrapping yarns made of cotton, silk, wool, or metallic fibers.
    Typically a bold fashion ring is worn

on the hand opposite the one you had wear a wedding ring, either on the ring finger or

middle finger. But you will probably see celebrities and models also wearing them on their

index and pinky fingers; or on four or five fingers at once! Whatever feels right to you is

the way to go. However, if you are unsure, your best bet is to give this big ring some

breathing room to stand alone on your hand — most designs certainly have the oomph for

that! Also, consider your outfit when wearing a cocktail ring — if the ring has a complex

design, simple, pattern-free clothing often works best as a backdrop.
    Many women rock a bold ring during the day, too. To make it appropriate for work, just

tone it down a bit. Choose a ring without gemstones and one that is on the smaller size.

The big ring can make accessorizing an outfit a simple task — just one piece is needed to

let your personality and originality come through.
    Earrings, ornaments decorating the

ears, have been one of the principal forms of jewelry throughout recorded history. The term

usually refers to ornaments worn attached to the earlobes, though in the late twentieth

century it expanded somewhat to include ornaments worn on other parts of the ear, such as

ear cuffs, and is used to describe pieces of jewelry in earring form, even when they are

worn through piercings in other parts of the body (for example, in the nose). The most

common means of attaching earrings to the earlobes has been to pierce holes in the lobes,

through which a loop or post may be passed. But a variety of other devices have also been

used, including spring clips, tensioning devices such as screw backs, and, for particularly

heavy earrings, loops passing over the top of the ear or attaching to the hair or

headdress.
    Add a Body Chain to your swimsuit

ensemble and show off that fabulous midriff. There are several styles available, from

delicate and barely noticeable to wide and musical, like those of the belly dancers. Find

your perfect fit, and wear your chain with a cropped top or your favorite bikini for an

unexpected twist.