The History of Jewellery: Ethnic Tribal Jewelry

The use, and importance of jewelry in primitive tribal, or pagan ritualism, and jewelry's use as a tool for both beautification/decoration, and body modification/deformation dates back thousands of years. Although body modification was routinely practiced in the ancient Pre-Columbian and Indus Valley cultures, this type of beautification is still in practice today in Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and even within sub-cultures in western societies.

In many primitive cultures, jewelry, body ornamentation and body modification has been used to exaggerate sexual dimorphism, accentuating the systematic differences between the sexes. Jewelry is also used for pagan rituals, to honor a particular deity, or as an offering in sacrificial ceremonies; though sometimes, jewelry is used for nothing more that simple beautification.

Primitive Motifs & Materials

There is a great deal of commonality in the motifs of primitive indigenous cultures, perhaps due to some ancient ancestral link, or due to a sameness in our primordial strivings and urges, or maybe it is just that there are only so many design possibilities. The main differences in cultural norms relate to the quantity of jewelry worn, the sex of the wearer, and the body location that the items are worn. The materials used, and the design motifs are all relatively similar.

Every conceivable type of ritual jewelry was used by tribal man, from the more conventional bangles, bracelets, chokers, earrings, necklaces, and finger rings, to more exotic items. such as anklets, cuffs, lip rings, toe rings, and various types of piercings. There are also jewelry items that are specific to a certain geographic region. These include armlets (India, Southeast Asia), lip-plates (West Africa), neck extending collars or rings (Burma), the borla and mang-tikka(Indian hair ornaments), nose ornaments (Africa, Southeast Asia, Native America, South American Amazon basin), and the ear spool (pre-Columbian Mesoamerica).

Since many indigenous tribal cultures are relatively poor, or have been subjected to plundering by Colonial powers, the selection of raw materials is somewhat humble. Simple metals are used such as brass, iron, copper, pewter, tin, silver-toned copper alloy, or oxidized white metal alloy; mixed with small amounts of silver and gold.

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