Pacific Jewellery

jewellery making in pacific started later in other areas because of recent human settlement. pacific jewellery made of bone, wood, , other natural materials, , has not survived. pacific jewellery worn above waist, headdresses, necklaces, hair pins, , arm , waist belts being common pieces.

jewellery in pacific, exception of australia, worn symbol of either fertility or power. elaborate headdresses worn many pacific cultures , some, such inhabitants of papua new guinea, wear headdresses once have killed enemy. tribesman may wear boar bones through noses.

island jewellery still primal because of lack of communication outside cultures. areas of borneo , papua new guinea yet explored western nations. however, island nations flooded western missionaries have had drastic changes made jewellery designs. missionaries saw type of tribal jewellery sign of wearer s devotion paganism. many tribal designs lost forever in mass conversion christianity.

a modern opal bracelet

australia number 1 supplier of opals in world. opals had been mined in europe , south america many years prior, in late 19th century, australian opal market became predominant. australian opals mined in few select places around country, making 1 of profitable stones in pacific.

the new zealand māori traditionally had strong culture of personal adornment, famously hei-tiki. hei-tikis traditionally carved hand bone, nephrite, or bowenite.

nowadays wide range of such traditionally inspired items such bone carved pendants based on traditional fishhooks hei matau , other greenstone jewellery popular young new zealanders of backgrounds – whom relate generalized sense of new zealand identity. these trends have contributed towards worldwide interest in traditional māori culture , arts.

other jewellery created through māori influence, modern jewellery in new zealand multicultural , varied.