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History of Charm Bracelets
Elaborate jewelry made of precious stones and metals emerged during the age of the Egyptian Pharaohs. It was during this time that the first recognizable charm bracelets and necklaces first appeared.
. . . Walk Like An Egyptian Like people of many ancient civilizations, the citizens of ancient Egypt lived very short lives by today's standard - 30 to 40 years on average. With so little time on earth, they obsessively prepared for a prosperous life after death. Charm bracelets played a significant role in the preparation process. Charm wrist and neck bracelets were not only coveted as protective shields and signs of status in this life, they were also worn as ID tags to help the Gods guide the wearer and his/her possessions to the proper status level in the afterlife. Kind of an "if found, please return to" note from home.
. . . When In Rome During the Roman Empire Christians would pull the "ichthys" (fish) charm from underneath their garments to identify themselves to other Christians to gain entry into Christian worship activities. The Jewish scholar of that same time would write passages from Jewish law on tiny slips of parchment and carefully insert the slips into a small, golden amulet that was worn around his neck. This of act reverence and piety was meant to keep the law close to the heart.
. . . Knights, Fights and a Little Extra Protection Fast forward to the dark days of the Middle Ages, and we find that charms and amulets were put to use by knights and kings. They were most often used with incantations to wreak havoc on the occupants of enemy castles and protect warriors in battle. Charms were also worn on belts to represent family origin, political standing and profession.
. . . What You Cannot See General wearing of charms began to lose favor with the wealthy classes during the Renaissance as mass produced books emerged and superstitions faded. However, charms and amulets were still widely used by people of lesser means and education. The role of the charm remained relatively unchanged until the early 1900s.
. . . The Queen of Charm In the early 20th century, the bracelets of Queen Victoria ignited the next big wave of charm wearing. It was at this stage that charms had a dramatic change of purpose. They went from being practical tools to becoming decorative fashion jewelry. Small lockets, glass beads and family crests that hung on bracelets and necklaces were all the rage.
. . . Designs by Nanine Creating must-have one of a kind charm bracelets you can only find in her booth!
FYI...The FLEUR DE LIS...In French, fleur de lis literally means "lily flower". It is widely thought to be a stylized version of the species Iris. Decorative ornaments that resemble the fleur-de-lis have appeared in artwork from the earliest human civilizations. The use for ornamental or symbolic purposes of the stylised flower usually called fleur de lis is common to all eras and all civilizations. It is an essentially graphic theme found on Mesopotamian cylinders, Egyptian bas-reliefs, Mycenean pottery, Sassanid textiles, Gau;ish and Mameluk coins, Indonesian clothes, Japanese emblems, and Dogon totems. Many ancient armies from every kind of culture used this symbol as well. The many writers who have discussed the topic agree that it has little resemblance to the lily, but they disagree as to whether it derives from the iris or the lotus or several similiar types of flowers. The essential point is that it is a very stylised figure that has been used as an ornament or an emblem by almost all civilizations of the old and new worlds and most definitely by Designs by Nanine!
