Nepedia
Back to Discover
Advanced Reader
📖

Necklace

language culture Maturity 11-13 Next article →

A necklace is a piece of jewelry worn around the neck.

Dasaneh girls
Dasaneh girls

It serves many important roles in human society. People use them for religious ceremonies or magical purposes. They are also used during funerals or as symbols of wealth. Because they are often made of precious metals, they show a person's status. Some necklaces are even classified as a type of clothing.

Every necklace has a main component that wraps around the neck. This part is called a band, a chain, or a cord.

Chain length
Chain length

Makers often use precious metals like gold, silver, or platinum for these bands. Many necklaces also include additional attachments. These are called pendants, which hang from the main structure. A pendant might be a locket, an amulet, or a cross. They can also be made of gemstones like diamonds, rubies, or emeralds.

There are many different ways to build a necklace. Some use beads strung together on a thread.

Broad Collar of Wah MET DP307898
Broad Collar of Wah MET DP307898

Others use metalwork techniques like repoussé. This technique involves decorating metal by hammering it from the reverse side. Ancient Greeks used this to make delicate gold pieces. They also used plaited gold wires to create intricate patterns. Some cultures used granulation, which is a method of creating tiny gold beads. These beads were often strung with glass or colorful faience.

Humans have created neck adornments for tens of thousands of years. Evidence from southern and east Africa shows necklace making dating back 50,000 years.

Early people used natural materials like feathers, bone, shells, and plants. By the Bronze Age, metallic jewelry began to replace these natural items. In Ancient Mesopotamia, people wore cylinder seals on strings. Ancient Egyptians wore large collars made of semi-precious stones or glass. These collars were used for religious and celebratory events.

Different eras in Europe brought very different styles. In Celtic and Gallic Europe, people wore a heavy metal ring called a torc.

Torque à tampons Somme-Suippe Musée Saint-Remi 120208
Torque à tampons Somme-Suippe Musée Saint-Remi 120208

These were usually made of bronze, but sometimes silver or gold. During the Renaissance, wealthy men wore massive collars that covered their shoulders. By the 1700s, a style called the rivière necklace became popular. This style features a single row of large, precious stones. Later, in the 1800s, the Romantic period brought extravagant, gem-encrusted collars.

In East Asia, necklaces have deep cultural meanings. During the Qing dynasty in China, emperors wore a court necklace called a Chaozhu.

This necklace consists of 108 small beads. It includes four large beads that symbolize the four seasons. The beads are arranged in groups of 27. This necklace was also used as a tool for mathematical calculations. Another Chinese tradition involves the longevity lock, or yingluo.

2021657 200354 Museon
2021657 200354 Museon

These pendants are meant to protect children by locking their soul inside.

Necklaces also show how different cultures connect through trade and art. Ancient Roman elites wore necklaces with materials imported from the Near East. This included items like amber, pearls, and amethyst. In the 20th century, the Art Nouveau movement used natural motifs. They used materials like glass, ivory, and horn for their appearance rather than their value. Designers like Chanel later popularized costume jewelry. This made necklaces made of glass beads accessible to many more people. Today, necklaces continue to evolve through many different styles and materials.

536 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (10)
File:Dasaneh girls.JPG
Dasaneh girls.JPG
File:Neolithic talc necklace - PRE.2009.0.237.1.IMG 1833-black.jpg
Neolithic talc necklace -...
File:Broad Collar of Wah MET DP307898.jpg
Broad Collar of Wah MET DP307898.jpg
File:Greek - Necklace with Butterfly Pendant - Walters 57386.jpg
Greek - Necklace with Butterfly Pendant -...
File:Necklace with Pendant Cross MET 40502.jpg
Necklace with Pendant Cross MET 40502.jpg
File:Torque à tampons Somme-Suippe Musée Saint-Remi 120208.jpg
Torque à tampons Somme-Suippe Musée...
File:2021657 200354 Museon.jpg
2021657 200354 Museon.jpg
File:同心湖のほとりで写真を写す漢服愛好家ふたり.jpg
同心湖のほとりで写真を写す漢服愛好家ふたり.jpg
File:Chain length.jpg
Chain length.jpg
File:Cowon iAUDIO T2.jpg
Cowon iAUDIO T2.jpg
More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.