The Jewelry of Nepal

Book excerpt: In many parts of Asia, folk jewelry, the most beautiful and dazzling expression of material culture, has disappeared in the wake of modernization. In Nepal, however, where the formidable Himalayas have formed a barrier to outsiders and their influences for centuries, native jewelry traditions have remained alive and strong until very recently. Jewelry in Nepal is worn for decorative, talismanic, and investment purposes. Lavish pieces may be donned to celebrate marriage or promote fertility, while amulets are worn to ward off baleful influences. Gold jewelry is abundant and its many forms are expressed in unusual sizes; silver, readily available in coin form, is freely used, as are beads of glass, coral, turquoise, amber, and agate. The pieces are dramatic in design and brilliant in workmanship. In sixteen trips to Nepal's most inaccessible areas, goldsmith and jewelry designer Hannelore Gabriel has documented the local jewelry worn for both daily and ceremonial use, and her photographs and articles have appeared in numerous art and jewelry related publications. Introductory chapters of her new book discuss the land and religion, and the function and history of jewelry in Nepal. Further chapters discuss symbolism and materials, while the central and largest portion of the book introduces, item by item, the important jewelry pieces of the major ethnic groups: the Newar, the Tibeto-Burman Middle Hills groups, the Tibeto-Nepalese, the Indo-Nepalese, and the Tharu. Concluding chapters present the special, ritual jewelry of the shamans and the jewelry makers of Nepal, while appendixes include important tips on collecting and preserving both new and antique pieces, as well as an extensive bibliography. This heavily illustrated work is the most comprehensive treatment of the subject available.