| The earliest bracelets date back to around 2500 | | | | Brachium, meaning, ‘arm.' When women |
| BC and were those worn by the Sumerians in | | | | caught on that these Bracels would look great on |
| southern Mesopotamia. Bracelets, necklaces, | | | | them, they started wearing smaller versions, |
| anklets, finger rings and ear rings made the | | | | called little Bracels...or ‘Bracel-ets.' The history |
| women of Sumer into show windows of their | | | | of bracelets stretches forward through the Middle |
| husband's prosperity. Bracelets were found in the | | | | Ages of medieval Europe through the Baroque |
| tombs of Ur where it was customary to bury | | | | period of the 18th century, and on right through |
| royalty with their jewellery and unfortunately their | | | | to the present. Throughout time, bracelets have |
| poor servants. By about 2000 BC, in Ancient | | | | been made from many different materials such |
| Egypt, bracelets emerged as major pieces of | | | | as leather, iron, copper, beads, bone and teeth as |
| jewellery. Bracelets were found in the ruins from | | | | well as precious metals and gemstone. |
| the Vesuvias eruption in Pompeii in 79 AD. It was | | | | Throughout the ages bracelets have always been |
| during the age of the Egyptian Pharaohs that | | | | popular and the styles seem to have varied |
| charm bracelets were first seen although charms | | | | according to dress styles. In cultures where |
| themselves dated back as far as the Neolithic era | | | | people wore sleeveless or short sleeved attire |
| when men would gather unusual bits of wood or | | | | such as the Romans and ancient Greeks, the |
| pieces of stone which would be carried about their | | | | wearing of bracelets both on the upper and lower |
| person in order to ward off their enemies. So | | | | arm became popular with both men and women. |
| these charms were considered ‘lucky charms' | | | | The wearing of upper arm bracelets is still popular |
| and powerful protectors against evil. It wasn't until | | | | today with modern fashionable skimpy clothing |
| the time of the Pharaohs though that these | | | | lending itself well to the wearing of more |
| charms were incorporated into elaborate pieces | | | | jewellery. Today, bracelets are worn by both |
| of jewellery such as wrist and neck bracelets | | | | men and women in a variety of materials such as |
| which were not only deemed to offer protection | | | | traditional precious metals like gold silver and |
| but were also a sign of how prosperous the | | | | platinum. Modern plastics and acrylics are now |
| person had been in life and after death would be | | | | much used to make trendy, unusual bracelets as |
| an indicator to the Gods of this persons proper | | | | well as metals like titanium and zirconium which |
| status in the after life. In Grecian times bracelets | | | | have become popular because they are hard |
| were popular with men and soldiers wore | | | | wearing, very light and hypoallergenic. Whatever |
| defensive bands of leather, often decorated with | | | | your tastes and whatever your budget, there is |
| gold, silver and or gemstones, on their forearms. | | | | an enormous choice of bracelets and bangles to |
| They were known as ‘Bracels,' from the Latin | | | | suit everyone. |