What role does jewelry play in the history of Indian culture?

For thousands of years, jewelry has held a crucial spot in Indian culture. Dating from the BC era when Indians wore jewelry from top to bottom to the present day. Though many things have changed over the years, jewelry is still an important part of Indian culture. The two hundred year period (beginning in 1500 CE) when the Mogul Empire controlled India had a big impact on jewelry trends in the country. The style they introduced urged goldsmiths and silversmiths to make striking jewelry, covering much of the bodies of those living in India. As in most cultures, Indian women normally wore a lot more jewelry than Indian men, yet there were plenty of different kinds of jewelry for men to choose from too. Men could wear turbans decorated with pearls, feathers, and jewels. Men's necklaces were also often decorated with pearls, gemstone amulets, and pendants, not to mention the bracelets they often wore. Indians also often wore a lot of rings, particularly signet rings. According to Buddhists (1st – 10th centuries) and Muslims (12th century), signet rings were thought to be excellent good luck charms. The archer's ring was in high demand while the Mogul Empire ruled as well. This type of ring was worn by men who wanted to improve their skill and luck in archery. Affluent men were often wearers of gold archer's rings with diamonds, rubies, and other gemstones. Men also wore belts for their swords which were elaborately decorated with gold stitching and gems. And to top it all off, the richest Indian men wore chains around their ankles as well. All these different types of jewelry are still worn by Indian men today, just not necessarily all at the same time. For Indian women, the Mogul Empire brought many different types of jewelry too. Rows of coins, pearls, and chains were set on the heads of Indian women. They also used gold and bejeweled hair accessories for their braids. Ear and nose piercings provided even more of a canvas for jewelry to be worn by Indian women. Numerous bracelets and arm bands were traditionally worn together as well, often practically concealing a woman's arms, especially when meant to show that a woman is married. Unlike in Western cultures, where only a wedding ring reveals a woman's marital status, in India married women wear quite a few pieces of jewelry that show they are married (including certain kinds of headpieces, nose rings, bracelets, toe rings, etc.), depending on which part of India they are from. At wedding ceremonies, women wear rings with chains that go down their hands and connect to bracelets on their wrists which have even more chains. They also wear gold belts, often with bells, and on their feet Indian women wear bejeweled anklets and toe rings. Though plenty of Indians still wear traditional jewelry, those residing in urban areas of India are wearing Western inspired jewelry as well.

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