Functions of jewellery: Status and Social Identity

Jewellery is a universal form of adornment. Metcalf [1998] regards jewellery as," a body of objects, emanating from almost every known society since the beginning of culture." hence, "one of the most important purposes of jewellery, is to mark social identity and status...to either distinguish or merge the wearer with social groupings" as he would describe it.

Hairnet, Front Medallion., bearing a bust of Aphrodite, Goddess of Love.

This golden  hairnet is said to originate from a wealthy family of  the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Hellenistic Egypt. Certain elements of the hairnet's decoration seem to have had a close connection to the Ptolemies, the ruling family of Hellenistic Egypt. Aphrodite was considered the divine equivalent of many Ptolemaic queens.

 In her book (Style and Function in Roman Decoration) Ellen Swift addresses the function of  jewellery in the Roman Era. She describes jewellery, especially precious metal jewellery as being regarded as the female equivalent of the male symbols of office,  an important element in manifesting a women's feminine, elite status.

Assassins Creed Origins: Cleopatra
Her jewellery symbolised her identity as Egyptian Queen and the belief that she was the embodiment of the Goddess Isis

 Gold as we know it, is a timeless extremely precious material,  as it doesn't degraded or oxidize over time, it's a perfect conduct of electricity and it's the best reflector of red light as it is currently being used on the latest NASA space telescope.

Details on Hairnet, Small Pendant.

Swift explains that, "A high status for females as well as males, was partly constructed through materials like precious and semi precious metals and stones.

Elite status could be amplified or represented through the use of intricate decorative pattern and labour-intensive, highly skilled decorative techniques."

Swift suggests that, "such designs impress through an awareness, on part of the viewer, of the difficulty with which they are achieved. A plain gold piece, without gems, could be worn by anyone, decoration thus becomes a way to differentiate oneself from others who may access to elite materials yet are not accepted members of the elite, and to reinforce the separation between the elite an those of lesser status."

       

Functions of Jewellery: Personal Decoration

Jewellery has always been used to decorate the human figure. Providing visual accents, colour, contrast and texture as well as to focus attention to specific parts of the body.

Metcalf (1998) describes it as," a compositional device in the layout of the human form." He suggests that our urge to decorate satisfies a psychological and social purpose, a great ability that jewellery has to enhance self image and alter social perceptions.[1] It gives us a vehicle to express our selves, jewellery is objectively something small but more often than not encompassing big meaning.

I find that people are most themselves when they don't have to be themselves, one mask comes off and another comes on.

Conventions like Comic Con and festivals like Burning Man allow for an explosion of creative expression from people.

[Fig 1] Participant at Burning Man Festival 2018

[Fig 2] Participant at Burning Man

The outfits that the participants put together are inspired from a variety of cultures, influences and found objects, it perfectly reflects the beautiful complexity of our identity that we each have. It's complex concept, we are complex, people more often than not want to identify with more than one thing, it's the idea of mosaic identity and we owe it to ourselves to recognise and acknowledge the nodes that make up us.

Polymer Clay Bangles. Clay Cloud Creations, Comic Con 2018

Polymer Clay; Light switch covers, containers, pens and hand mirrors. Clay Cloud Creations, Comic Con 2018

References

1. https://www.brucemetcalf.com/on-the-nature-of-jewelry-part-1(Accessed March 2018)

Fig 1 - https://za.pinterest.com/pin/592575263446643833/ (Accessed March 2018)
Fig 2 - https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk6er2dhRIF/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1ddiluw2myxdm (Accessed March 2018)

The Functions of Jewellery

Jewellery can be described as ornamentation of the figure that has been given meaning. These meanings can be characterized to form some of the functions of jewellery, in his essasy, On the nature of jewellery, Bruce Metcalf describes jewellery by its physical, social and psychological ability to touch people. Jewellery has many functions, some of these functions are; personal decoration, social status and spiritual mediation.

Assassins Creed Origins: Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator, Queen of Egypt

These functions stem of each other. On Cleopatra one could see how these characterisations can be entertwined. As one of the wealthiest woman in Egpyt, she could afford elaborate jewellery simply to decorate herself with, but this was also a symbol of her position as Egyptian Queen and her identity as the embodiment of the Goddess Isis. If her position or life were compromised she could easily flee with the investment of jewellery on her and start safely anew.