Humanities Information Information Research

Tell a Friend about this Site

Moissanite Earrings, The Modern Brazilian Beetle


The history of earrings is a varied history indeed. And the latest in the long line of female body adornments known as earrings are Moissanite earrings. Moissanite is taking the jewelry world by storm and moissanite earrings are no exception.

Moissanite earrings, well earrings in general anyway, are a fashion with a long history. They are believed to have originated around 3000 BC. Fashioned often in gold, silver or bronze, numerous examples of earrings dating from around 2500 BC to the time of Christ have been unearthed.

Many fascinating examples have been uncovered from the royal graves in Iraq!

Earring styles have varied enormously over the last 3500 years. Earrings were often buried with the dead, as were many other forms of fashionable jewelry of the time. This is fortunate as it allows us to determine exactly what earrings were popular at various times in our history.

Around 1350 BC hoop earrings were popular which fitted inside a larger hole in the ear than would normally be the case. We can only imagine what it would have taken to produce the hole in the ear in the first place! Probably a small hoop earring at first, followed by larger ones as time progressed.

Earrings had styles and motifs which fitted the times. For example in Greek society around the second century BC earrings often displayed motifs of the gods of the time. And precious stones also adorned the ears of the wealthy women of the time to display their riches.

From around the third to the tenth century AD earrings were overtaken by head adornments which often covered the entire side of the face. And then for a few centuries after that long hair styles and high collars covered the ears and earrings lost their appeal.

Earrings took a back seat for quite some time, but re-emerged unscathed around the sixteenth century. At the time women's hairstyles crept up exposing the ears again and by the seventeenth century earrings were back in fashion.

Earrings then were often long and heavy and extended use resulted in women suffering permanently stretched ear lobes. This can be clearly seen in pictures of Queen Victoria, a dedicated earring wearer. Perhaps she had a lot to do with the fashion of the time.

Earring fashions varied with hairstyles. When the hair was worn on the top of the head the ears were prominently displayed and so earrings were essential, however from time to time the hairstyles favoured covering the ears, and earrings went back out of fashion.

All sorts of exotic earring materials were used including in the late 1800s, of all things, Brazilian beetles for their attractive green color.

Back then it was Brazilian beetles, now it's moissanite. Using the newest of the modern earring materials, moissanite earrings are taking the earring world by storm. Why? Simply because moissanite earrings look as good as diamond earrings but without the price tag.

Moissanite earrings feature moissanite stones, a modern alternative to diamonds which offer all the qualities of diamonds but at a fraction of the cost.

Whether it's simple round cut moissanite stones set into white or yellow gold to produce stunning moissanite stud earrings, three stone moissanite earrings in gold or solitaire moissanite earrings with lever back settings, any would complement the ear of the modern woman.

Moissanite earrings, the modern Brazilian beetle!

Find out more about Moissanite Earrings as well as Moissanite Engagement Rings and other types of Moissanite rings at Peter's website, The Magic of Moissanite.

© 2005 Peter Crump


MORE RESOURCES:

SHSU College of Humanities and Social Sciences honors graduates at ...
Huntsville Item, TX - 11 hours ago
By Holly Green Approximately 300 students will be graduating from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences this weekend, and more than 50 were honored ...
Record number of students receiving their diplomas Huntsville Item
all 2 news articles


Smithsonian Exhibition explores both sides of the fence in Cable
BusinessNorth.com, MN - 1 hour ago
The Cable Natural History Museum, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Humanities Council, will explore this and other aspects of the cultural history of ...


Part II: The Humanities and the Washington Money Chase
Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription) - May 15, 2008
While the sciences feast at the federal trough—looking up only to complain of deprivation—the humanities are allotted skimpy federal assistance. ...


Humanities scholars will deliver lectures, read works
University of Chicago Chronicle - May 15, 2008
By Josh Schonwald Three humanities scholars will come to campus this month to deliver annual spring lectures presented by the Division of the Humanities. ...


DC Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton pushes for deadline on redevelopment ...
Bizjournals.com, NC - 20 hours ago
The agencies there are the National Endowment of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, ...


Humanities dominate approved courses so far
Harvard Crimson, MA - May 14, 2008
By BONNIE J. KAVOUSSI Humanities professors are drawing up courses for the new General Education curriculum in full force, contributing nine courses to the ...


ASU fuses sustainability with art
Arizona State University, Tempe - 22 hours ago
ASU’s Institute for Humanities Research, in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has taken a different route to examine this topic by playing host to ...


Business Briefs - Alabama Humanities Foundation names board members
The Birmingham News - al.com, AL - May 15, 2008
New board members appointed to the Alabama Humanities Foundation are David Donaldson, community relations director and vice president of Vulcan Foundation ...


Magazine to focus on humanities
NewsOK.com (subscription), OK - May 14, 2008
The first issue of a new magazine published by the Oklahoma Humanities Council will be available on newsstands and in bookstores today. ...


Series begins
The Union Leader, NH - 13 hours ago
The first of a three-part series on minor-leaguers' pursuit of a Major League Baseball career looks at Double-A ball, where top prospects quickly separate ...
Interim dean named for NCSU college News & Observer
all 2 news articles

Humanities - Google News



MaineBannerExchange

home | site map
© 2006