Mark Greene
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, right? Well, this saying applies to all people of all cultures who believe that adornment in jewellery does make a person look more attractive. Be it a pair of gold cufflinks for men, a silver bracelet for women, or a unisex watch piece. Women, men, and children from different parts of the world wear these pieces as a celebration of their beauty, and in some as a symbol of their wealth.
Ornamentation, besides its obvious beautification purpose, serves other purposes across different cultures around the world. In some civilizations, certain jewelry pieces are meant to be worn only for special occasions, and some are even considered sacred. And if these pieces are found on an individual that is not intended for it, it is then considered a taboo and one may even get cursed out on it. In this piece, we shall strive to give you a better picture of how diverse the use of jewellery can differ from community to community.
Greek Culture
An essential piece among the Greek people is the Komboloi. The Komboloi is a string of beads that serves the purpose of passing the time, for relaxation purposes and also as an instrument of meditation. This piece was specifically made for men, and no woman was to be found in possession of this ornament. But this exclusivity has since then dissolved that it is now okay for a woman to possess a Komboloi.
Additionally, the Greek also favoured gold pieces that were worn by men, women, and children as a sign of their wealth and godlike status. These pieces were usually inlaid with pearls, emeralds, carnelians, garnets, and rock crystals. Artists also creatively incorporated colorful enamel inlays that dramatically contrasted with the intricate gold settings. On the pieces, simple sketches of plant and animal silhouettes were crafted as well. Such relics remained sacred as they were passed down generations, some were presented as offerings to the gods, and some were used to adorn the dead during their burials.
Egyptian Culture
Following the discovery of gold, the Egyptians wore these pieces as a symbol of power, religion, and status. The most popular jewelry pieces that the Egyptians loved included bracelets, earrings, collar pieces, anklets, armbands, hair beads, and rings. They also loved pieces that had been designed with scrolls, scarab beetles, winged birds, jackals, tigers, and antelopes. Besides gold, artists used colored glass, which mad the pieces look even more exquisite.
Some pieces such as the wide collar necklace which stretched over the wearer’s breast to the collar bone were worn as a protective amulet. These amulets were carved into various shapes, including symbols, humans, animals, and gods. They were seen as significant protectors of the living and the dead. And just like the Greek, the Egyptian adorned their dead with certain pieces to take with them in the afterlife. Egyptians also wore jewelry to ward off evil spirits, protect their health as well as bring good fortune.
Indian Culture
When we talk of  Indians and their use of jewelry, we instantly get the picture of their grand wedding ceremonies. Apart from increasing the beauty of Indian women, Indian ornaments are also considered a matter of great security in times of financial crisis, considering most of these pieces are quite valuable. Some of the most preferred pieces exclusive to Indians include nose rings, necklaces, maangtika, earrings, mangalsutra, toe rings, and bangles.
To Indians, the adornment of their faces by the nos ring goes beyond aesthetic purposes as it is believed that women who wear this piece experience less pain during childbirth. They also believe that the nose ring is connected to the emotional, sexual, and romantic propositions of a woman. Necklaces are worn to control emotions, to strengthen one’s love, to bring good luck and to ward off evil spirits. Toe rings are believed to make a woman’s menstrual cycle flow regularly.
Conclusion
In addition to the cultures mentioned above, we also have the Chinese, African, and Bohemian, among others. All these cultures have their specific symbolism when it comes to jewelry, but the common factors include currency, social status, religion, relationship, and protection.
