Archaeologists have found evidence which shoes bracelets were worn for adornment and as part of important rituals as far back as 7,000 years ago.
The ancient cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia and China worn bracelets made of grasses, twigs and then branches, shells, and later on, bronze and copper.
After the Bronze Age which went from 2000 to 14000 BC, bracelets were even fashioned from gold and silver.
Bracelets have been around for thousands of years
Bracelets were worn by both men and women and apart from being part of rituals, they were a status symbol indicating rank and wealth.
Bracelets of Ancient Egypt
In 2680 BC the Egyptians were wearing bracelets of gold and silver decorated with gemstones and precious stones. These gemstones were mined in Africa.
While the bracelets were buried with the dead, they seemed to be more ornamental rather than linked to any ancient Egyptian rituals.
Bracelets from Ancient Greece and Rome
Greek soldiers were wide leather or metal arm bands or cuffs as part of the military attire. These were probably part of their defence. This was later adopted by the Romans, too.
Male Romans who like to adorn themselves with accessories wore gold bangles crafted to look like snakes.
These styles spread across Europe and were particularly popular in the Middle Ages from 476 to 1450 AD.
Chinese and Indian influence
The Chinese manufactured jade bracelets over 2000 years BC. They also wore and highly prized gold bracelets which had animals, mythical creatures and symbols of nature carved on them.
A strong history of wearing beautiful gold bracelets can also be traced back through the years in India. These mainly took the form of thinner gold bangles, but a trip to India today will reveal how popular they still are.
Modern Bracelets
Many of the styles we wear today can be traced back to a revival of bracelets that began in the 1600s in Europe.
In this time, ladies wore began to wear a few thin bracelets at a time. They also enhanced these with ribbons.
Wearing bracelets gained even greater popularity in the 1800s and the charm bracelet, which we all know today, began in the Victorian Era
