| Archeologists believe the necklace was born | | | | could be worn by women or buried along with the |
| during the stone age about 40,000 years before | | | | dead. From about the first century on, Roman |
| than previously believed. April 2004, scientists | | | | Jewelry began to distinguish itself. Gemstones |
| were excavating a cave in South Africa | | | | came into use and were usually cut in circles or |
| discovered forty-one mollusks that may have | | | | rectangular shapes. |
| been strung as neck jewelry about 75,000 years | | | | In the end of the second century gold piercing |
| ago. | | | | techniques were invented. It produced a lace like |
| Before this discovery the oldest known necklace | | | | quality in gold neck jewelry. The favored style of |
| to have been found about 30,000 B.C. They are | | | | the time was a chain of differently colored |
| made mostly of shells, bones, stones, animal | | | | gemstones connected by gold links. |
| teeth or claws, strung on a thread. Basically the | | | | In the second and third century it became popular |
| same concept is used today though there are | | | | to wear multiple necklaces all at the same time. |
| some variations | | | | The types of neck jewelry sometimes indicated |
| In 2500 B.C. gold was starting to be used in neck | | | | the level of wealth or class of the wearer. |
| jewelry. Gold neck adornments and chokers have | | | | Necklaces were very popular in whatever form |
| been discovered at the Royal Grave of Ur. They | | | | could be made. Over the next few centuries the |
| are in what is now known as Iraq. 2000 B.C. was | | | | popularity of wearing of necklaces waned |
| when Sumerian bead neck jewelry started to use | | | | significantly. In the late 14th century necklaces |
| alternating patterns of colored stones and | | | | started to regain their popularity due to fashions |
| gemstones and metals such as copper or silver. | | | | décolletage. |
| Ancient Egyptian neck jewelry evolved from | | | | Since then however, necklaces are very popular |
| simple stringed beads to complicated patterns and | | | | among all the classes. A favorite gift of children to |
| include the 'broad collar' and pectoral type. They | | | | their mothers is the famed or infamous macaroni |
| were worn by both sexes, mostly royals and | | | | necklace. What mother doesn't love such a gift |
| wealthy citizens. They were often buried with | | | | from the heart? They are precious not in |
| their dead owners. | | | | gemstones or gold but in sentiment and heart |
| During the Classical Greek period from about 480 | | | | value. |
| to 300 B.C. most necklaces were three | | | | Necklaces are worn now for a variety of reasons |
| dimensional pendants. They were mostly in the | | | | not the least of which personal adornment. Many |
| form of heads, seeds, or acorns. They were | | | | people wear medals that are religiously significant |
| suspended from a row of flat elements usually | | | | such as those with images of the Saints or Jesus |
| some type of rosettes. | | | | Christ. Many wear a plain cross while still others |
| Alexander the Great in 356 - 323 B.C. conquered | | | | will wear a Crucifix which is a cross on which the |
| the Orient. Gold was plentiful throughout the | | | | image of the body of Christ is fastened. It stands |
| Greek Empire. It was often used on making in | | | | to reason that it can be said that necklaces have |
| necklaces and other types of jewelry for several | | | | been and will remain a piece of jewelry that is |
| centuries. | | | | completely versatile in its design and the intent of |
| In Ancient Rome the wearing of jewelry was | | | | the wearer. |
| frowned upon. Laws regulated how much gold | | | | |