Facts And History Of Jewelry

Its origin can be traced to the old French term joule which referred to several items like rings, bracelets and necklaces, in the 13th century. Jewelry has performed several functions other than adornment. It has often been the symbol of status.The more jewelry one possessed, it indicated a better social standing. Jewelry was another form of wealth. Its value was equal to that of currency.The historical background of these decorative items is varied and rather interesting. The characteristic feature of the jewelry of different ages and countries has been formed by the availability of materials and the usage.In the days gone by, when people were superstitious, certain pieces of jewelry were used as a treatment for the evil influences. To ward off the negative forces, armlets, bracelets and rings were worn. Fastening or clasping purposes were also served by jewelry.Pieces of cloth were kept secured by clasps made of bone pieces. The existence of the mammoth then provided a good source of raw material. The tusk was used and the tradition is still carried on even today.It was soon the right of the royalty to wear gold upon their body to indicate power..They mostly used brooches to keep their long flowing garments secured. Though they used gold often, bronze, beads and glass were also preferred. Procuring the materials was not difficult since their sprawling kingdom spread across man countries. The use of colored glass was to replace the gems that formed a part of the jewelry. They preferred copying the real colors of the stones to using them. Most of the gems were collected from the Red Sea and long necklaces, bangles and head gear were worn by both men and women. Not only while they were alive, but even after death they were given all the items of ornamentation to be worn by them.