Choosing Finer Clothing

Temple Jewelry: In Introduction For Admirers

If you admire ethnic jewelry in all of its forms that come from different places around the globe, there is no doubt that you have spotted temple jewelry pieces that have piqued your curiosity. Building your own collection of ethnic jewelry can be a lot of fun, but it is even more rewarding if you know a bit about the pieces you have in your collection so you can share what you know when you show them off. Here is a look at some of the most common things people want to know about temple jewelry pieces. 

What exactly is temple jewelry?

Temple jewelry is a type of ethnic jewelry that originates from India. The reason the jewelry its name is because the pieces were traditionally placed on gods and goddesses at the religious temples during certain ceremonies. Beyond the history, however, the jewelry pieces are usually highly symbolic; oftentimes, they bear symbols and representations of those things that are relative to the specific religions of the culture. For example, a piece may have several golden pendants in the form of specific gods or goddesses. 

What are some of the occasions when temple jewelry is traditionally worn?

These days, more people wear this form of ethnic jewelry because it is beautiful or makes a fashion statement. However, in history, this intricate jewelry was reserved for special occasions primarily. For example, a woman may be adorned with pieces of jewelry when she is in the process of giving birth to signify that the temple and beliefs are with her during this difficult and miraculous occasion. The pieces were also often worn for things like weddings, burial ceremonies, and highly regarded religious events. Indian dancers are also known to wear the glittering pieces during their traditional dances. 

What is traditional temple jewelry made out of?

Traditionally, the base metal for all of these pieces was gold because it was considered the most valuable, and by all rights, it still is. However, you can find some pieces now crafted with more affordable base metals and coated with gold to offer the same appearance. Fine stones, such as rubies, emeralds, and diamonds also often adorned the temple pieces, and usually, there would be several incorporated. Many of the traditional temple jewelery pieces were impressively heavy, which can be expected because of their intricate designs and the sheer volume of fine materials used to make them. 


Share