thumb|upright=1.35|[[Daasanach people|Daasanach girls wearing necklaces]]

A necklace is an article of jewellery that is worn around the neck. Necklaces may have been one of the earliest types of adornment worn by humans. They often serve ceremonial, religious, magical, or funerary purposes and are also used as symbols of wealth and status, given that they are commonly made of precious metals and stones.

The main component of a necklace is the band, chain, or cord that wraps around the neck. It is most often rendered in precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum. Necklaces often have additional attachments suspended or inset into the necklace itself. These attachments typically include pendants, lockets, amulets, crosses, and precious and semiprecious materials such as diamond, pearls, rubies, emeralds, garnets, and sapphires. They are made with many different type of materials and are used for many things and sometimes classified as clothing.

Historical necklaces

left|thumb|200x200px|Neolithic Talc Necklace

Prehistoric neckware

Prehistoric peoples often used natural materials such as feathers, bone, shells, and plant materials to create necklaces. Evidence of early Upper Paleolithic necklace making in southern Africa and east Africa dates back to 50,000 BP. By the Bronze Age metallic jewellery had replaced pre-metallic adornments. Necklaces were first depicted in statuary and art of the Ancient Near East, and early necklaces made of precious metals with inset stones were created in Europe. In Ancient Babylon, necklaces were made of carnelian, lapis lazuli, agate, and gold, which was also made into gold chains. Ancient Sumerians created necklaces and beads from gold, silver, lapis lazuli and carnelian. These collars were often ornamented with semi-precious, glass, pottery, and hollow beads. Gold that was fashioned into stylised plant, animal, and insect shapes were common as well. Amulets were also turned into necklaces. In Ancient Crete necklaces were worn by all classes; peasants wore stones on flax thread while the wealthy wore beads of agate, pearl, carnelian, amethyst, and rock crystal. In addition, ropes of pearls, gold plates inset with enamel, and lustrous stones set in gold filigree were often worn. Many large necklaces and the materials that adorned the necklaces were imported from the Near East.

thumb|Byzantine Christian [[cross necklace | 185x185px]] Later in the empire, following barbarian invasions, colorful and gaudy jewellery became popular. Germanic tribes often wore gold and silver pieces with complex detailing and inlaid with colored glass and semi-precious stones, especially garnet. Heavily jeweled, delicately framed cameo pendants were popular as well.

1800–1870: The low necklines of the court gowns fashionable at this time led to the use of large necklaces set with precious jewels. In the Romantic period necklaces were extravagant: it was fashionable to wear a tight, gem-encrusted collar with matching jewel pendants attached and rosettes of gems with pearl borders.

Necklace with longevity lock pendant

thumb|168x168px|Chinese necklace with longevity lock

In China, there is a custom of wearing a necklace with a longevity lock pendant. These lock charms were sometimes personally tied around the necks of children by Buddhist or Taoist priests. The longevity lock is known as () and is an important form of amulet for children for thousand of years in Chinese culture. According to Chinese beliefs, the protect children from evil spirits and bad luck by locking its wearer's soul and life inside of the lock. The is often made with precious materials, such as gold, silver, and jade, and having auspicious words carved on it. The depictions of the keyūra was introduced in China along with Buddhism. It comes in variety of styles, shapes, and materials.

Necklace lengths

Necklaces are typically classified by length:

thumb|Necklace length diagram

; Choker

: Close-fitting, short, About 30~33 centimetres (12~13-inch) long and sits high on the neck.

; Collar

: 35~41 centimetres (14~16 in) long.

; Princess necklace

: 45~50 centimetres (18~20 in) long.

; Matinee necklace

: 56~58 centimetres (22~23 in) long.

; Opera necklace

: ~75 centimetres (~30 in) long and sits below the bust.

; Rope/Lariat necklace

: Any longer than opera length (~33+ in)

: Sits at the waist, and often can be worn wrapped and draped multiple times around the neck.

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File:Late Western Zhou Jade Necklace.jpg|Necklace, Late Zhou dynasty (c.1046 to 256 BC), China

File:Tiffany Opal Necklace.jpg|Tiffany Opal Necklace

File:Minoan gold necklace archmus Heraklion.jpg|Minoan Gold Necklace (Archmus Heraklion)

File:Napoleon-diamond-necklace.jpg|Napoleonic-era Diamond Necklace

File:Post Emerald Necklace 01.jpg|Emerald Necklace

File:Egyptian carnelian necklace.JPG|Carnelian, Limestone, and Quartz Egyptian necklace

File:Ancient Byzantine gold necklace (Met).jpg|Gold Ancient Byzantine Necklace with Pendants

File:KHM Wien VIIb 133 - Golden Vandal necklace, c. 300 AD.jpg|Gold and Glass Vandal necklace, c. AD 300

File:Getty Villa - Necklace with relief pendant - 83.AM.225(1).jpg|Necklace with Relief Pendant

File:KHM Wien VIIa 2 - Silver necklace, 600-650 AD.jpg|Silver necklace, c. AD 600-650

File:Beads from a Necklace MET dp30573.jpg|Frankish Glass Bead Necklace

File:Necklace MET ES1799.jpg|Gold and Platinum Necklace

File:Necklace with Pendant Crosses MET dp30693.jpg|Byzantine Christian cross necklace

File:Necklace MET 2014.294 d.jpg|German Metal Necklace

File:Sea necklace.jpg|Necklace made from crochet lace, pearls, and sterling silver.

File:Necklace MET DT5736.jpg|Gold and Platinum French Necklace

File:Glass necklace BM WA 133334.jpg|Glass Necklace

File:Rosaline Pearl Necklace.jpg|Rosaline Pearl Necklace

File:Dirce Repossi White Gold and Diamonds Necklace.jpg|Dirce Repossi White Gold and Diamonds Necklace

File:Roman - Necklace with Pendant Coins - Walters 571600.jpg|Gold Roman Necklace with Pendant Coins and Braided Chain- Walters 571600

File:Uranium-glass-necklace.jpg|Uranium glass necklace, circa 1940/1950. Uranium glass glows bright green under ultraviolet light.

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Similar items

thumb|A [[digital audio player (DAP) designed to be worn around the neck]]

Pectoral ornaments are jewellery items that are also used similar to a necklace, such as reimiro, and ancient Egyptian pectorals.

Non-jewellery items, for example lanyards, for holding badges and cards, are similar to a necklace and are worn on a neck.

See also

  • Cross necklace
  • Choker
  • Figaro chain
  • Jewellery chain
  • Livery collar
  • Locket
  • Love beads
  • Pendant
  • Torc
  • Usekh collar

Further reading

  • Jewelry 7,000 Years ed. Hugh Tait. .
  • Jewelry Through the Ages by Guido Gregorietti. .
  • 20,000 Years of Fashion: The History of Costume and Personal Adornment by Francois Boucher. .

References