Tuesday, May 4, 2010

native american jewelry

Native American Jewelry


Indian people love their jewelry. In the ancient time, when India was at the pinnacle of economic success and advancement, the wealth was measured in precious metals and stones. Due to a huge abundance of precious metals, every Indian started adorning himself or herself with these jewelry pieces. The skilled craftsmen of the country worked tirelessly to give new and intricate designs to native american jewelry pieces. It is said the Indian history dates back to 5,000 years. All through those years, jewelry making has remained a common and steady feature.

The diverse ethnicity of India causes the design and concepts of jewelry making to differ from one region to another. Every piece of Indian jewelry produced in the country has the traditions and cultures of that particular region etched in it. Traditionally, Indian jewelry industry makes use of metals found in aplenty in this country. These metals include gold, silver, and copper. Indian jewelry made of brass is also equally popular in the country as well as abroad. Diamonds are mined in India and imported from abroad, and used in Indian jewelry. Apart from these precious metals and stones, ivory is also used to make Indian jewelry.

Gold is a hot favorite of Indians as far as jewelry is concerned. This is not just owing to the sheen and luster of the metal, but also due to the fact that gold is a very expensive metal. While traditional native american jewelry is extremely sought after, new and contemporary designs have also made an advent into the market. These designs are produced primarily by the new jewelry designers. While the new designs of Indian jewelry explore new realms of creativity, the traditional work requires great skill and is very intricate.

Contrary to popular notion, Indian jewelry does not just cater to the wedding requirements. Pieces of Indian jewelry can be worn on a daily basis, and indeed, Indian women make jewelry a part of their daily lifestyle. The pieces of Indian jewelry can be worn on any attire, be it Indian or western. According to the Indian traditions and customs, Indian jewelry is bought and gifted on every auspicious occasion such as weddings, births, festivals et al.

Every region of India is known for its own style of Indian jewelry. For instance, while the north India is famous for its carved Indian jewelry, the south region of the country is known for the unique temple jewelry. While beaded Indian jewelry is more prominent in the eastern part of the country, the western native american jewelry is made up of precious and semi-precious stones, and uses a lot of mirror work as well.