 Jewelry or jewellry
(see American and British English spelling differences)
signifies items of personal adornment, such as
necklaces, rings, brooches, earrings and bracelets.
Jewelry may be made from any material, such as
gemstones, precious metals or shells, besides
other materials, depending on cultural differences
and availability of materials. Jewelry may be
appreciated because of geometric or other patterns,
or meaningful symbols. (Items such as belts and
handbags etc. are considered to be accessories
rather than Jewelry.)
The word Jewelry is derived from the word jewel,
which was Anglicized from the Old French "jouel"
circa the 13th century. Further tracing leads
back to the Latin word "jocale", meaning
plaything. Jewelry is one of the oldest forms
of body adornment; recently found 100,000 year-old
beads made from Nassarius shells, are thought
to be the oldest known jewelry.
Jewelry is sometimes seen as wealth storage or
functionally as holding a garment or hair together.
It has from very early times also been regarded
as a form of personal adornment. The first pieces
of Jewelry were made from natural materials, such
as bone, animal teeth, shell, wood and carved
stone. More exotic Jewelry was probably made for
wealthy people or as indications of social status.
In some cases people were buried with their Jewelry.
Jewish
Jewelry
The Lesotho Promise
The 15th largest uncut
diamond ever excavated
Diamonds
and Gemstones |