zhang1988

Keywords Jewellery, History

Archaeological evidence suggests that both men and women have been wearing earrings from the third century Bc. Originally the idea for piercing ears and inserting a metallic ornament comes from the Orient. This book, however, focuses on the history of mainstream earrings for Western women from pre-history to the tiffany jewelry.

From earliest times through to today, earrings can be divided into two types -- hoops and pendants and this is reflected throughout this historical survey The book is divided into four main chapters, which each cover a major historical time period. Photographs are placed at the end of each section to illustrate the preceding text. The illustrations in this book are particularly fine, with more than 600 examples of designs, 108 in colour. The book concludes with an index, glossary and very useful and detailed biographical notes on designers.

The fashion for wearing precious metals spread from Egypt to the classical Greek, Roman and Hellenistic worlds to Byzantium. During the Middle Ages, however, with the advent of high ruff collars, earrings practically disappeared. It was not until the eighteenth century that earrings became an essential form of Elsa Peretti Teardrop Earrings. The perfecting of techniques for cutting coloured gemstones and diamonds paved the way for the development of very glamorous and stylish designs. During the nineteenth century we see a great vogue for classical and Roman motifs in jewellery design. The First World War changed many people's lives forever, and in particular women, who became more emancipated and adopted shorter dresses and shorter hairstyles. This gave way to a rise in popularity for long pendant earrings, which has continued right through to the 1990s. The introduction of clip earrings in the 1930s also allowed women to wear heavy earrings without piercing their ears.

This is an excellent historical survey of the development of earrings, how styles evolved and the impact of technological developments in cutting Atlas Cube Earrings. Although there are many excellent works published on jewellery generally, there is little to compare in terms of detail and depth of research on the subject of earrings exclusively This book is likely to be of great interest and use to professionals, students and collectors and is recommended for purchase for all art collections.

HAVANA, Mar. 26 (IPS) -- Granma, the official publication of Cuba's governing Communist Party, yesterday defended men's right to sport long hair, earrings and tattoos.

The defense appeared in the "Letter-Opener" Tiffany 1837 Circle bracelet, in response to a reader's complaint that he was not allowed to enter a workers' social circle.

"To judge by the thinking of the administration of the social circle, a person like Culture Minister Abel Prieto could not enter because of his long hair," wrote journalist Guillermo Cabrera Alvarez, in charge of the section.

Workers' social circles are union-run recreational bodies that allow access to the beaches of western Havana. While members have free access, the general public must pay a fee.

"According to the administration, young men with long hair, earrings and tattoos cannot enter," Yuri Gonzalez wrote in his letter to Granma, demanding to know "on what basis and with what right can they do that."

"I have long hair simply to be in fashion," said Gonzalez, a sound engineer at the Roberto Branly Culture House, a gathering place for rock fans in Havana.

An aversion to long hair and earrings on men and tattoos on either sex is nothing new in Cuba. Those who were young in the 1960s have somewhat traumatic memories of that time, when such things were considered serious "ideological deviations."

Although many people continue to spurn long hair, it has nothing to do with official policy, which since the 1980s has demonstrated greater tolerance. Academics here say the aversion is mainly due to the "machismo" that prevails in Cuba, which leads people to reject images they see as unmasculine or Elsa Peretti Open Heart bracelet.

Cabrera pointed out that neither internationally-renowned Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodriguez, who has a caravel tattooed on his hand, nor popular singer Ireno Garcia, with his characteristic earring, could enter the social circle in question.

"To judge people by their external aspect is extremely superficial," wrote Cabrera, who added that he had not yet obtained a response from the "slippery" administrator of the social circle.

The reporter, who is also the director of the Jose Marti International Institute of Journalism in Havana, recalled a Communist friend who defended his long hair by pointing out that his father was bald, and had left Cuba.

"I love the long-haired Marx and despise the clean-shaved Hitler," another friend, from the United Tiffany 1837 circle clasp bracelet, told him.

Cabrera pointed out that the Cuban revolution was "a revolution of long hair and beards that shocked the world," and gave rise to a generation in the 1960s that "wanted to look like those bearded guys."

"The important thing is what is under the hair -- the ideas, and what is under the skin -- blood and emotions," he underlined.

JACKI LYDEN, HOST: This has been a big week for Harrison Ford. His new movie, "Air Force One," is number one at the box Horse charm bracelet. It's already pulled in more than $37 million. And his picture graces the cover of People Magazine.

If you look closely at that picture, you'll notice something a little different about him.

Commentator Karen Grigsby Bates did. And it's left her feeling like she has lost her innocence again.

KAREN GRIGSBY BATES, COMMENTATOR: Maybe you didn't know this. But you can lose your innocence in all kinds of ways, and more than once. I'm not talking about those -- "the first time in the back seat of a '57 Chevy" ways. I'm talking about the theft of your cherished assumptions, the ineluctable knowledge that things that look one way often really are another.

John Kennedy's marital indiscretions are a good example. I have no idea that they existed when I was in the seventh grade in 1963. When I found out years later, when people began to talk openly about his fooling around, it was disappointing. But I could handle it.

Same for the discovery that Cary Grant sometimes liked to wear women's underwear -- different strokes, I guess. I know boys who were traumatized for years when they found out Roy Rogers' real name is Elmer Sly and that John Wayne's first name was really Marion.

The realization that the Duke of Windsor was a stylish ninny, fretfully hen-pecked to the end of his days by the woman he loved, or that the fairy-tale marriage of his great nephew to Diana Spencer had more in common with horror stories than romance novels was sad, but life goes on.

I thought I was immune to those kinds of disappointments. But yesterday, the final straw fell on this camel's back. It was the Toggle bracelet that Harrison Ford, Mr. Un-Hollywood, has pierced his ear. I am, to borrow my favorite line from "Men in Black" -- just tryin' to get a handle on the moment -- an earring. Why this so profoundly vexed me I don't know.

Maybe it's because Ford is so resolutely the antithesis of everything that is modern Hollywood. He never wore a pony tail. He has scars on his face, and a plastic surgeon hasn't touched them. He's been married to the same woman for several years, although this is his second marriage. He's polite, well-spoken, keeps most of his political opinions to himself.

He started out as a carpenter and, in fact, built much of his home in Wyoming -- a rugged, manly state where they don't much wear earrings. And he lived there before it became Hollywood chic. He seemed like the best part of normal guyhood -- the part that fixed the kid's bikes without calling in an engineer, thank you -- threw meat on the grill when company came, drank liquor neat, and splashed on Old Spice before taking the wife out to dinner -- a throwback to a less complicated time.

Then he put the damn earring in. He says it's something he had wanted to do for a long time. And after he finished playing the most macho president the United States won't ever have, he had his ear pierced.

Well, I hope it hurt when he did it. I hope he didn't flinch when it hurt. I hope he knocked back a slug of Jack and went on about his Elsa Peretti Sevillana bracelet. I hope he doesn't pierce the other one.

LYDEN: Writer Karen Grigsby Bates lives in Los Angeles.