Jewellery and its Evolution

One of the oldest forms used in designing jewellery was the use of a sphere, denoting the seed, the bija. Later, a range of beads were made of various materials such as clay, glass, metals, and precious stones. This symbolised fertility, growth, and the origin of life.

Meaning and Significance of Jewellery:

• In tribal societies, each ornament was a symbol of rank and status of the wearer in the society, and it was believed to have explicit magical powers
• The purpose of ornamentation was not only to satisfy an instinctive desire to decorate the body but also had symbolic significance
• This aspect is clearly indicated in the form of amulets which carry supreme inscribed prayers to protect the wearer from evil influences
• Jewellery was considered to be  the only form of investment which could provide support by encashing it during an emergency

Jewellery for every part of the Body

Head and Forehead:

• Bore: Women wear the bore resting upon the parting of the hair. Seen in Rajasthan , also in parts of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh
• Pendant: The tikka, a rounded pendant at the end of a long chain which falls on the forehead, is used throughout India
• Patti: The shringar patti which frames the face and often connects with the tikka on the top and the earrings are also used widely
• Kalgi: In earlier times, men wore the kalgi – a plumed jewel on top of the turban

Nose:

• Lavang: A simple clove
• Phuli: Elaborately worked stud
• Nath: Nose-ring worn in the right nostril
• Bulli: Nose ring worn in the centre just over the lips

Neck:

• Guluband: It’s made from either beads or rectangular pieces of metal, strung together alongside the thread
• Bajaithi or longer kanthi: Type of necklace
• Tawiz, Kantha: Men wear charm or taweez at the neck and a kantha, a long necklace

• Fingers: Number of rings, hathphool or rattan-chowk to embellish the rear part of the hand
• Wrists: Kada, paunchi, gajra and chuda (quite often extends about six inches above the wrist)
• Arms: Bazoo, joshan and bank, worn above the elbow, men wore a heavy kada or also called bangle

Hips:

• Women: Kandora or kardhani, a series of silver chains formed into a belt
• Men: A silver or gold belt

Ankles: Only royalty wore gold on their feet

• Women: A jewellery that is heavy and solid called anklets, which is made by  combining the delicate grandeur paizebs ending in tinkling , hollow bells and silver
• Men: wear a heavy silver anklet

Toes: Bichhua, scorpion ring (at the time of their marriage)

Jewellery through the Ages

1. 3000-1500 BCE (Harappan Period): The excavations from the Harappan site have uncovered the beads and shell bangles used in those times. The shell bangles are like the ones worn by married women in Ladakh. Gold sheets shaped into head bands were found.
2. 300 BCE-300 CE: The richest jewellery collection was discovered in Taxila, an important Buddhist centre of learning. It was on the trade route, as well as the  road through which people migrate to India.Jewellery making exhibits Greek influence greatly and the introduction of new technology such as filigree and granulation are amended along.There are evident similarities between our present-day jewellery designs and the jewellery of the Sumerians and the early Greeks. A necklace excavated at Ur, which is made up of finely designed pendants of lion-heads with granulated work is similar to the garuda necklace prepared in Kerala. The patterns of a few Egyptian jewellery, distinctively  armlets with snakeheads, are found in India, as well.
3. 400 CE: A close similarity has been found in the jewellery of today and of earlier times.The Kanthi, is a type of short necklace worn close to the neck . The phalakhara, a long necklace comprising numerous tablets strung with a series of beads,  seen in the early Gupta period,  is found to be in  use even today in most of the places in North India.The Chudamani, shaped like a full-blown lotus with many petals, was worn at the parting of the hair and is similar to the  bore of Rajasthan.In the Ramayana,there is a mention of Sita wearing a nishka necklace. Nishka, a gold coin, is also mentioned in the Jataka stories. The tradition of wearing  coin necklaces continues till date.
4. 900 CE: The use of the nose ornament was found to be introduced in India quite late, as the early sculptures and murals do not show any evidence of nose ornaments earlier.It was introduced by the Arabs after the tenth century.It is now common all over India and has become associated with marriage.
5. 1500-1900: As Reported by Sir Thomas Roe, an English Traveller, Jahangir had a huge number of diamonds and pearls and rich jewellery, often colourful enamel jewellery embedded with precious stones.
6. 1900 onwards: With body piercing becoming popular in the West, young Indian men and women have begun piercing their nose and ear, but their tongue, the navel, and other parts of the body to wear jewellery.

Conclusion

Jewellery is one of the oldest ornamental arts. It emphasises how there is a sense of beauty in the environment that leads all humans to gravitate to physical items that are attractive and make them want to appear better. Early cultures utilised jewellery as amulets to ward against misfortune and illness. There is a strong correlation between gemstones and good fortune.