The Oxford English Dictionary defines jewelry as objects, worn to adorn the body. Jewelry as adornment, dates back to ancient history, where pieces resembling ornaments, over 100,000 years old, having been found. These were a set of beads made out of animal bones. Since it is believed that the first humans were from Africa, the concept that jewelry also originated from Africa only comes with simple reasoning.
While the definition of jewelry is pretty much accepted, it is interesting to note that the reason for such adornment is varied for different cultures. In some cultures, jewelry is used as a form of currency, such as payment of a dowry using jewelry or slave beads in the days of the empire. Jewelry can also be an expression of wealth. The latter is not only seen in African tribes, but also on the urban high street!
Jewelry, for many societies, is a form a symbolism and it can specify many things. In indigenous tribes, jewelry is sometimes worn as a symbol of status, with the Chieftain adorned with fabulous and ostentatious jewelry. It can also be a mark of other things, with the marriage band being a symbol that the person is no longer available! Jewelry can also be used to show that the wearer belongs to a specific faith. For example, many Christians often wear the cross or crucifix as a gold necklace for the same reason.
Jewelry can also be practical and serve a very important purpose. A brooch pin can be used to attach a scarf to a garment or a jeweled hairpin to keep the hair back; both of these are pieces of jewelry, which forms practical pieces of adornment.
Amulets are a type of jewelry or body adornment that are worn for protection and were a particularly common form of jewelry in Roman times. The word amulet comes from Latin and means any object, which protects its wearer from trouble. An amulet or blessed piece of jewelry plays a large part in many religions. In fact, certain sects of people in India, China as well as some South American countries still wear certain jewelry for exactly this reason.
Obviously, these days and in the main, the purpose of jewelry is to express oneself. However, over history and still in pockets of society jewelry has, had and will continue to have an altogether different purpose for quite some time to come!
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