The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-04-29
Oriental Jewelry.
From Jewellers circular-weekly.

The oriental's love of luxury, splendor
of attire and personal adornment acts as
strong incentive to the eastern jeweler in
the production of those exquisitely carved
and multicolored creations over which the
modern world raves and marvels. Nor are
such decorations mere ornaments without
other use or meaning.
The oriental jeweler, seated upon the
floor of his little shop, inhaling the fra
grant odors of his pipe and coffee, con-
ceives his design and jealously envelops it
with mysticism, adding to it the quaint
charm of symbol and superstition. The
bracelet, the earrings, the necklace, the
clasp, the buckle and the button grow step
by step into special ornament according
to the rank, means, tastes and wants of
the wearer, an evidence of class and dig
nifty.
Bracelets are by orientals worn in pairs.
Each hand is provided with one, as other
wise jealousy will spring up between the
manual members and evil deeds will follow.
Earrings are popular among both sexes in
certain parts of the orient. The ears are
pierced at birth. The perforations are
made unnecessarily large so not to permit
a residue of gossip. Then ornaments are
offered the ears as consolation. Necklaces
are worn most conspicuously to avert the
evil eye and to denote dignity and distinc-
/ tion Festoon necklaces seem to have
( been in vogue from time immemorial, and
not infrequently do they adorn the whole
chest of the wearer. In India the men
often borrow their wives necklaces to
decorate themselves with. Masculine
/ vanity of certain sects of the Persians far
exceeds that of women, and, aside from
wearing earrings and necklaces. they al
most monopolize the tiny seed pearls by
stringing them in their boards, each hair
being literally covered with lustrous pearl.
Beads are among the earliest forms Of
ornaments and are considered potent charms
for felicity, as these are often cut and sold
by priests or sheiks, who maintain them
selves solely by this means. The pear
shaped drop so much in vogue in Europe
and America is of decidedly oriental origin
aud has attached to it quaint myth. The
Kaaba stone in Mecca has this peculiar
shape, and, according to the theory of the
Mohammedans, this stone was the actual
guardian angel who was sent to watch over
| Adam in Eden and was present at his fall
As punishment for not having more Wig
ilantly executed his trust the angel was
changed into Il stone and hurled from par
IL. ri
shaped pendants made of wood or some
precious stone as reminder of Allah $
wrath, and these are held among them IN
the same esteem as is the cross among the
Christians.
Armlets are regarded as caste marks and
are worn only by women. Anklets have
healing power and so are worn not as
ornaments only Little tinkling bells are
often attached to these, which lend pleas
ing sound to an approaching step and serve
to denote the superiority and rank of the
wearer aud thus in passing render due
homage. An Arabian poet describes these
as s4the awakers of dormant senses.
Rings are worn in great profusion and
are made of all sorts of metals. How
ever, they invariably have exquisitely
carved or openwork shanks. Even the
stones have their symbols and are worn
accordingly In the orient no prejudice
exists against opals.
Signet rings were Of great Importance
among the earlier orientals, and even TO
the present day letters are rarely otherwise
signed by those who send them. Thus
the authenticity of all orders and cOmmu-
nieations, even merchants bills, depends
wholly upon an impression Of signet ring.
the occupation Of the seal cutter is re-
garied as one of great trust and danger.
Such person is obliged to keep register
Of every ring seal he makes, and if one be
lost or stolen from the party for whom it
was cut his life would answer for making
another Just ike it. The loss Of slgnet
ring is regarded as a disastrous calamity,
and the alarm which an oriental exhibits
at the loss of the signet can only be under
stood by reference to these circumstances,
as the seal cutter is always obliged to alter
the real date at which the seal was cut.
The only resource of person who has lost
his seal is TO have another made with new
! date and to write to his correspondents to
inform them that all accounts, contracts
and communications to which his former
,signet is affixed are null from the day on
which it was lost.