Later in Kenya, at Enkapune Ya Muto, beads made from perforated ostrich egg shells have been dated to more than 40,000 years ago. In Russia, a stone bracelet and marble ring are attributed to a similar age. The history of jewellery is long and goes back many years, with many different uses among different cultures.
- Jewellery in the Pacific, with the exception of Australia, is worn to be a symbol of either fertility or power.
- Changing social conditions and the onset of the Industrial Revolution also led to growth of a middle class that wanted and could afford jewellery.
- In Guatemala, jade is the stone of choice, as the Mayans attributed special powers to it, believing it symbolized life, fertility, and power.
- You’ll find fabulous women’s jewelry designs in 14K and 18K gold, sterling silver, stainless steel, bronze, and more.
Similarly, necklaces from Bali often depict deities from the Hindu pantheon. In India, a womans jewelry is linked to her status in society and may depict Hindu gods as well as mantra symbols such as the omkara, the root of all sounds and the emblem of the Most High. Angel necklaces and harmony ball necklaces are often worn by pregnant women in Bali and in Mexico. The pendant makes a delicate bell sound, thought to soothe the mother and the baby she is carrying.
Layering Necklaces Set With Gold Bar Necklace, Personalized Custom Name, Delicate Layering Jewelry in Sterling Silver
Roman men and women wore rings with an engraved gem on it that was used with wax to seal documents, a practice that continued into medieval times when kings and noblemen used the same method. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the jewellery designs were absorbed by neighbouring countries and tribes. The word jewellery itself is derived from the word jewel, which was anglicised from the Old French “jouel”, and beyond that, to the Latin word “jocale”, meaning plaything. In British English, Indian English, New Zealand English, Hiberno-English, Australian English, and South African English it is spelled jewellery, while the spelling is Jewelry News in American English.
Diamond Connection Necklace
With thousands of earrings, rings, and necklaces on the market, it can feel difficult for a girl to find a way to stand out nowadays. If you’re tired of the same old jewelry, check out our Gemstone jewelry collection. Cufflinks, for example, are a wonderful opportunity to get creative or show some extra class during your next formal outing.
Animal figures and bird feathers had special significance, as did natural stones. In India, Om and Ganesha symbols are used for protection, prosperity and purity. In West Africa, Gye nyame, symbolizing Gods deep power and infinite knowledge, is still used on necklaces. They sculpt the image they want in wax, encase it in a mold, and pour molten silver or gold into it.
Thus many tribal designs were lost forever in the mass conversion to Christianity. One of the first to start jewellery making were the peoples of the Indus Valley civilization, in what is now predominately modern-day Pakistan and part of northern and western India. Early jewellery making in China started around the same period, but it became widespread with the spread of Buddhism around 2,000 years ago. Jewellery in Mesopotamia tended to be manufactured from thin metal leaf and was set with large numbers of brightly coloured stones . Favoured shapes included leaves, spirals, cones, and bunches of grapes. Jewellers created works both for human use and for adorning statues and idols.