A QUICK OVERVIEW ::: THE HISTORY OF BODY ADORNMENTS
I have always been so intrigued and inspired by body adornments of all kinds. My ears were pierced as a babe, I absolutely loved playing around with my moms eccentric jewelry, I convinced her to take me to get my belly button pierced as soon as I hit 16 and I could not wait to turn 18 to get my first tattoo. It's been a lifelong love and ever evolving.
It's been said that it is probable that prehistoric humans thought of decorating the body before they thought of making anything that could suggest clothing. Before precious metals were discovered, people who lived along the seashore decorated themselves with a great variety of shells, fishbones, fish teeth, and coloured pebbles. People who lived inland used as ornaments materials from the animals they had killed for food: reindeer antlers, mammoth tusks, and all kinds of animal bones. After they had been transformed from their natural state into various elaborate forms, these materials, together with animal skins and bird feathers, provided sufficient decoration.
This era was followed by one that saw a transition from a nomadic life to a settled social order and the subsequent birth of the most ancient civilizations. Most peoples settled along the banks of large rivers, which facilitated the development of agriculture and animal husbandry. Indirectly, this also led to the discovery of virginal alluvial deposits of minerals, first among which were gold and precious stones.
Over the years the limited jewelry forms of prehistoric times multiplied until they included ornaments for every part of the body. For the head there were crowns, diadems, tiaras, hairpins, combs, earrings, nose rings, lip rings, and earplugs. For the neck and torso there were necklaces, fibulae (the ancient safety pin), brooches, pectorals (breastplates), stomachers, belts, and watch fobs. For the arms and hands armlets, bracelets, and rings were fashioned. For the thighs, legs, and feet craftsmen designed thigh bracelets, ankle bracelets, toe rings, and shoe buckles.
There is a loooooong, rich history and I will dive into individual cultures/eras in the 'More You Know' Vol. 2! I leave you with this stunning portrait of the gorgeous, 106 year old Filipina tattoo artist, Apo Whang-od.
