Handcrafted Beaded & Sterling Silver Jewelry – Symbols of Power, Prayer & Prestige
Posted by admin in Ethnic Treasures Jewelry on October 24, 2011
Long before jewelry was used as a fashion accessory, it was used by tribal people, religious orders, shamans, high priests and priestesses and traditional healers as powerful keepers of faith, healing and universal knowledge. Minerals, stones and crystals were gathered into handcrafted beaded jewelry, handcrafted sterling silver jewelry and ornate gold jewelry that were called amulets, crosses, tokens, charms, medallions, prayer beads and rosaries. They believed each mineral, stone and crystal to have unique powers and metaphysical attributes. It was further believed that the wearer absorbed the powerful energies of each stone, crystal and mineral.
Jewelry has long been used in religious ceremonies as well. In Christianity, rings are still used today as a symbol of commitment to one’s spouse in marriage, while a necklace bearing a cross is used as a symbol of faith and commitment to God. Similar to Christianity’s rosary, the Buddhist religion uses prayer beads during meditation to keep count of the number of mantras recited. In India, a bride adorns herself with numerous bangles, jewels, and headdresses as auspicious tokens of the couples’ union.
Jewelry Necklaces – Made Out Of a Variety of Materials
Posted by admin in Ethnic Treasures Jewelry on October 24, 2011
There are very few living beings that invest a great deal of time and effort on adornment and human beings are one of them. People across the world love to decorate themselves with jewelry necklaces, earrings, bangles, rings etc for a variety of reasons or simply because it looks beautiful. There are many materials that one can make jewelry out of. In fact, there are certain materials that are unique to specific places. However, there are certain materials that are universally adored and used for making jewelry.
There is probably nothing that can compete with gold for its popularity. Almost every culture treasures it and has done so over the millennia. Gold is a unique metal that has many properties that make it ideal for jewelry. To start with it is extremely malleable. Gold is so soft that jewelers need to add copper and other metals to it in order to make it easy to be worked into shapes and to prevent it from breaking. It also has a wonderful luster and is extremely non reactive. It is very unusual to hear of any person having an allergic reaction to wearing gold close to the skin. Gold is also extremely precious because it is not found in abundance and its supply is artificially controlled in order to keep its price at a high level. Silver is also used as jewelry, and platinum to a lesser extent.
Silver Celtic Jewelry – Ancient Symbols and Timeless Treasures
Posted by admin in Ethnic Treasures Jewelry on October 24, 2011
In recent years, silver Celtic jewelry has enjoyed a revival. Men and women prize Celtic jewelry and consider it a treasure among possessions because of its uniqueness in beauty and symbolism. Celtic symbols were evident in ancient Celtic jewelry craft and continue to be powerful motifs even in modern-day jewelry designs. Ornate, symbolic, and enchanting, silver Celtic jewelry was, and still is, highly coveted.
A Rich History