Necklaces From Early Times

One of the distinguishing peculiarities of the human race is its liking for personal adornment and eventually the love if the beautiful in any form. Since the beginning if primitive man, we have found evidence of personal adornment. The love for beautiful things has always existed, and always will. The most primitive of ornaments consisted of stringing together seashells and teeth into necklaces. Ornaments like this today would still delight almost any person. Very primitive skeletons have been unearthed still wearing necklaces made of different teeth and fish ribs.

Before the piercing of bones and teeth, ancient man most likely strung together things like berries and feathers. This is believed because many of the savage tribes that still inhabit the world are using berries and feathers. It is likely that brightly colored feathers, and other objects were used to signify rank. Chiefs probably wore the brightest colors.

As primitive man began to work more with his hands, more difficult work started to be done. Soon man began to start working with and altering metallic substances. Copper was the first type of metal to be hammered and melted. Plain metal jewelry came along first, than in time inlays of pearl, amber, glass, bone, and shells and other materials were used.

Gold belongs to the Iron Age, which is the age that we currently belong. Gold has always been the favorite metal for jewelers, both when used alone and as a setting for other materials. Gold is never actually 100% pure, it is always alloyed with silver, and often with iron or copper. Gold can be found almost anywhere in the world. It is most often times found in river beds. People like gold because it is easy to work with, and is pleasing to the eye. Necklaces have even been found made of human teeth and seashells. Trophy necklaces were and still are very common by ancient tribes. Necklaces made up of leopard claws, and alligator teeth, and many others were very common. These trophy necklaces showed the skill of the hunter, and were also supposed to bring the hunter good luck on his next hunting trip.

Greek gold work and manner of design is nearly analogous to the Etruscan. The Greeks were ahead of their time when it came to making necklaces though. They did not bother with a dotted line like the Etruscans, they used two wire lines carefully twisted and soldered together. The Greeks, although stellar necklace makers did not favor them in any way like the Egyptians did.

It is believed that the ancient Indians made the most beautiful necklaces even to date. It is said that even the best designs today were copied from yesterday. Indians like to use enamel paint to decorate the beads that they strung. Turquoise was a very popular stone used by the Indians. Bone, feathers, leather, and pearls were also a favorite. The stones used by the Indians were usually poorly cut and of bad quality.

Necklace styles differed from one region of the world to another. It all depended on the area in question and the time period. Styles go in and out with the ages, and the style of necklace that is in will usually depend on the present period of time at hand.

The photo shown is of a bronze Gaulish Torc or torque necklace