|
 A
Newar girl adorned for the ibi ceremony wears symbolically
eloquent jewelry. Gold is the divine metal symbolizing the sun god,
Surya; white silver symbolizes the moon god, Chandra. The hooks
holding the gold hair ornament bear the peacock, a regal bird and
bearer of good fortune. The silver bride ornament displays a fish, a
fertility symbol; multiple bells, a Buddhist symbol both of
compassion and of the pure sound of the doctrine of perfect wisdom.
|
Fish are symbols
of fertility and hence are commonly associated with marriage
rites. Incised fish are the dominant motifs in a pair of silver
Tharu upper-arm bracelets.
|
 Today
out of fashion, gold tuki represent an investment.
|
A little boy wears three protective anklets including one made of
iron, an especially potent material against evil spirits. |
|
|
| The
large gold beads of the kantha necklace are formed of a thin
layer of gold over a pitch support. In east Nepal the beads are
fluted, while in the Pokhara area they have pronounced points. |
 The
septum rings reach the largest sizes and have to be flipped up for
eating.
|
|
|
A high-caste
woman in east Nepal wears tilhari and nau gedi
necklaces, with a gold amulet box, jantar. A single
bead of a nau gedi is shown in detail below.
|
|
Photos and text from the book "Jewellery of Nepal",
Hannelore Gabriel
Copyright Hannelore
Gabriel |
