The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-05-24
HISTORY OF NECKLACES.
Ornaments that Havs Bsea Used b. A
So. - r,lrIiln.l p.nnl....

UFm9lllEuNA LnaI Rave noWI LaoM y All
Savage and CivIiissd People,.
The earliest known form Of necklace
outside Of such primitive types as
shells and bits Of colored stone comes
from EgypE They were Of two kinds.
ornamental and what may be called
for the lack Of a better word. superstl-
tiOuS The former were CO uposed Of
small stones Of which blue was appar-
emily the favorite eclor set in silver
or gold and joined together In chain.
The latter. the armlsts. we're made Of
figures Of gOds. from three 10 seven
inches long Three or four q these
were hung In a chain Of beads.
The sacred images were believed to
warl or danger Of infection. misfori-
une or lail luck. Sometimes these
amulets had no gods on them. but
were composed Of cowries or bits Il
stone arranged In the forms of locked
horns. fish or crescents. emblematic Of
their supposed powers This super
stitious power Of the necklace Is wide
" spread to-day among people who
are not very high in civilization In
South America there are found
necklaces Of a peculiarly marked seed
which belongs to . plant growing
only on the mountains along the
snow line Th'se seeds when first
gathered are blue in color. and are
strung on strings. They are highly
valued, not only for their beauty. but
because Of the great difficulty in OBJ
tanning them. In the old graves.
which are found now aud then. strings
Of these seeds are often discovered.
and they are supposed 10 bring the
greatest possible luck. especially TO
children.
But one does not have 10 90 among
the people Of South America OF the
negroes Of Africa with their gee gee
necklaces to find evidence Of supersii-
ton. Thousands Of people place
necklaces Of coral beads around tho
neeks Of babies. with the belief that
they will assist the children in tee h.
ing. and there are many persons who
wear necklaces all the time. thinking
that they bring luck The southern
negroes constantly wear their brad
necklaces. looking upon them as gem
uine charms. aud they are very par
ticular about keeping them intuc.
holding that the charm i broken IL
even the relative position 4 the beads
should be altered when wear makes n
new string necessary. The common
practice among some religious secis
Of wearing a medallion around the
neck hung TO a chain or string is akin
to this necklace idea. aud in fact Is
variant Of 10.
Among men who have worn the
necklace must be ranked the warriors
Of ancient times The gold torques Of
the Celts. the massive gold necklaces
of the Medes. Eruscans and Egvp-
tianS which formed the m, 81 valuable
insignia Of the warrior class have
come down to us through the pictures
in the tOmbs and the actual specimens
In the tombs themselves S0me Of
these were enormously costly. They
were bestowed as rewards Of yalor and
as marks Of civic distinction. The lat
ter survive to-day in the gold chains
Of Office worn BY The mayors Of ciiics
IN the old world
All orders Of knighihood had the
necklace or collar as n principal in
signium. and this custom of decora-
ton with the necklace dates back at
least as far a. the time Of Joseph. for
as a mark Of his authority in Egypt.
Pharoah ''put a gold chain about his
neck" The women Of antiquity rare
" wore them. except rs brides. when
to mark the respect m which they we're
held. necklaces were placed upon
Them. The necklace. however was a
prominent adOrnment Of the statues Of
the gods.
The ornament Of the necklace was
so valued that when the S Non ly-
nasty was overthrow by the Nor
mans all persons below a certain
rank were forbidden to wear them
under heavy penalties In the reign
Of Henry VIII. that King celebrated
both for his wives and his revolt
against Rome. any one who had not
GOO per year income could not wear
a necklace. At that time. however,
they became the mmon ornament Of
woman. and in the Elizabsthan dram-
artists, there are many illusions 10
them. In England. amber has always
been one Of the favOrite materials Cor
the necklace.
Even in the barrOws of the early
Britalns amber beads are found. and
the specimens Of necklaces from the
reign Of Charles l have amber set in
gold. The Pur1tans abolished them
as they abolished every thing they
laid their hands on which sayored II
ornament. but the necklace was re-
vived again under the merry monarch
more exlravaganily than before Il
gradually came 10 consist Of several
chains hung around the neck. each
reaching further down than the one
before. To the longest was hung the
wills lie Of gold or silver used a. a call
for servants These necklaces we're Of
all materials-gold. silver. amber.
beads Jewels or medallions. Some Of
them cost very large sum Of money.
m T. Press