A brief history of the wearing of Necklaces for Women
People have worn jewellery ever since time began including necklaces. Originally the word jewellery itself was anglicised from an old French word “joule” (jewel) but it does also date further back in history and is linked to the latin word plaything. Normally jewellery is made from only precious metals but in the past designers have utilised many other materials including wood, rock and even cloth however silver is still the most common. Throughout time necklaces became more and more elaborate as crafts men developed their skills. The plain and simple evolved into differing styles for men and women. As necklaces were adapted into newer designs there meaning also changed for some people. Some wore them in battle for good luck whilst others used them to warn off evil spirits. A good modern day example of a potent symbol used in jewellery these days would that of the crucifix. Other examples that are used in religion are amulets which again are hung on a chain around the neck. Finally a heart shaped necklace known as a locket can also be looked upon as a symbol of love.
There are three types of necklaces available. The traditional necklace is a single threaded beaded piece or a chain. Men’s necklaces are usually just a chain for example. A pendant is another type of necklace that hangs from a chain or something like a leather thong which is an alternative option to consider. Finally a choker is a wider piece of jewellery and sits tighter around the upper part of the neck. The most unusual necklaces in the history of mankind must be those that were worn by the Pa Dong Long Neck tribe from Burma. Children were made to wear hoops from an early age around there necks. As the child grew more rings were added until when reaching adult age as many as 28 rings were worn in one go. The rings around the neck give the illusion that the neck is getting longer and stretching. In fact what is really happening is the collar bones are being weighed down over time, forcing them to lower hence more neck length. The women who wear the rings do get to remove them but only on their wedding night. It is hard to imagine the discomfort in this procedure but much neck washing is required. They are then slipped back around the neck after the wedding night is over to remain for the rest of their lives. This is partly due to the neck muscles not being strong enough to support their heads anymore. continue reading »
Although more and more options to be considered as a 


