Jewellery: follows dress fashions and tradition

Abstract

In history it was thought that jewellery related to the whole outfit it accompanies. Besides it is subjected to hold essentially functional value. It is also understood that a piece of jewellery is one set of link that goes from the body to clothing to the accessory. Although in history jewellery incorporated in circumstances for which the whole outfit was worn; it was part of an ensemble and necessarily ceremonial. Furthermore the history shed light on how the piece of jewellery followed tradition and dress fashion connectively. The sixty four jewellery of royal ornamentation were more significant set of items that bare strong tradition and luxurious fashion taste. The extensive luxuriousness of these items signified the dignity, power, wealth and social status of the wearer (Royalty). Besides the royalty used abundance of jewellery that were gifted and exchanged as a mean of sharing goodwill among the foreign royalties, dignitaries, delegates and local elite in appreciation of their good work. The objective of this paper is to investigate in which ways the jewellery followed dress fashion and tradition during the 16th – 18th centuries in Sri Lanka. By the 16th -18th century literature sources such as early traveler’s notes and sketches, historical records such as Shilpa text, inscriptions give ample sources about jewellery and amalgamated traditions ( Norms & customs should be followed in relation to method and wearing). The pictorial references of ivory carvings, sketches of historical records show unique forms, shapes and decorative elements of jewellery worn by royalty to elite. Data for this research gathered from historical literary records, texts, illustrations and carvings. The method of systematic sequence of observational studies was carried out to gather, sort and analyze data in a manner which could investigate how jewellery followed fashion and tradition of the subject period.