The History of Necklaces, Bracelets and Earrings

The necklace might be the very first type of jewelry worm by man and woman. Looking back throughout the history of necklaces brings us back 75,000 years: a possible necklace fashioned out of over 40 mollusks was found in a cave in South Africa. A necklace made 30,000 years after was formed of teeth, bones, and shells, which were strung onto thread.

Ancient necklaces were often formed from beads. Throughout the ages, beads have been created from gold, terra cotta, shells, and clay. The Egyptians faceted necklaces with beautiful patterned beads; their necklaces served as ornamental wear and as a status symbol. The Egyptians were also the first wearers of the choker-style necklace. These were generally made of gold. During the middle-ages, only the very wealthy wore necklaces to maintain a visual distinction between the social classes.Various gemstones have achieved popularity throughout the history of necklaces. The Egyptians were fond of turquoise, while pearls attained recognition in the 17th century. Diamonds began being cut in the 16th century and diamond necklaces were worn almost exclusively by royalty. The Victorian era attached sentimental value to necklaces; lockets became fashionable among women. Costume jewelry became in vogue during the 1940s and women wore necklaces made of rhinestones and gold toned metal.

Today’s necklaces are eclectic and come in all tastes, styles, and prices. A cord with a simple charm is worn with casual attire while gemstones still adorn those in formal wear. Jewelry is mass-marketed or made by artisans and sold at craft shows and upscale jewelry stores. Today, necklaces are a statement not so much of class or wealth, but of individual, personal style. The very earliest bracelets date back as far as 35,000 years. Primitive bracelets formed from bones and hairs were worn by early humans. The history of the modern bracelet begins in the ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures, where bracelets became a popular adornment among men and women of wealth and status. The Romans borrowed style and fashion trends from the Greeks. Soon, the idea of the bracelet as a standard piece of jewelry became widespread.

The first Greek bracelets were thick, made of leather and decorated with gemstones. Soon, they became thinner, made of metals and engraved with various motifs. The idea of the bracelet has remained though throughout history bracelets have been fashioned in many different ways. Around 2200 BC, the Chinese made bracelets of jade with decorated with diamonds. Bracelets were less common during the middle ages, when excessive wearing of jewelry was frowned upon. By then, bracelets were starting to be considered too feminine for men to wear. By the late 19th century, chain bracelets became in vogue.

Bracelets have been formed using silk ribbon, coral, gold, gemstones, and glass. The history of how people wear bracelets has and will continue to change throughout time: it has been chic to wear multiple bracelets at once, to wear two bracelets at a time, or to wear just one simple, delicate piece. During the 1930s, it became popular to wear bracelets on the upper arm. Today, bracelets are made of metals, beads, and even plastics, threads, hemp, acrylics, and leathers. Bracelets are worn by men and women to show off personal style, to complement clothing, as a symbolic gesture, or even for sentimental reasons.

The known history of ear-piercing begins 5000 years ago with the discovery of an ancient mummy whose ears had been pierced. It is thought that ear-piercing was a spiritual practice, used to ward off evil. The first known wearers of earrings were ancient Persians. Pictures on ancient palace walls depict men wearing earrings. Through history, both men and women have adorned themselves with earrings. The classic hoop earring was introduced during ancient Rome. We know that leaders like Julius Caesar donned rings in his ears, as did Shakespeare during the Renaissance period and Sir Francis Drake. Earrings were a part of many Native American cultures. Sailors wore earrings because they were thought to improve eyesight.

The earliest earrings were probably fashioned of natural materials like wood or bone, inserted through larger holes in the ear. The first fashionable earrings were hoops made of metal. Earrings were rarely worn after the Dark Ages and didn’t become in style again until the 17th century; it is then we witness the advent of gemstones in earrings. In the early 19th century, pierced ears were replaced with screw-on earrings and then clip-ons. Piercing one’s ears was thought of as gauche. Pierced earrings came back into style in the 1950′s and are still the norm today. Over the years, the style of earrings has changed according to popular dress and hairstyle. For instance, when high collars and elaborate hairstyles were all the rage, earrings were virtually non-existent. Earrings made a comeback when women wore wigs and lower necklines.

Today, virtually every woman has her ears pierced. Pierced ears in men are less popular within western culture, but are still the norm for many eastern cultures. Earrings come in every shape and size and taste and price. The average woman owns a pair of earrings for every conceivable type of outfit. On our new era, there are lots of jewelry making businesses are continuing to expand their creations using different materials and designs but only few are customizing designs for their customers. If you are looking for quality and customized fashion accessories, Delusha Retails is the right place to go.

About the Author

Deana Esmail is the founder of Delusha Retail. She is know with her beaded jewelry designs and handmade beaded jewelry that is truly fashionable and trendy in all ages. A true fashionista with a twist. She has run the NYC marathon, won awards for her lighting designs in Paris and is a mother of two boys. Born in raised in Denver, Colorado; Deana now lives and works in Valencia, Spain. “Work takes me on travels around the world, so I guess my style is a blend of all the cultures I have had the fortune to experience.”

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