EAR RINGS’ ANTIQUITY

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 85, 12 April 1939, Page 14

EAR RINGS’ ANTIQUITY

MANY RECORDS IN BIBLE which are among the oldest of ornaments worn by woman, have gone through many phases, and have varied in design, shape and size more perhaps than any other form of jewellery. To verify this, you have only to go through famous museum collections, such as the Victoria and Albert, and note the varieties exhibited. The use of ear-rings for personal adornment originated in the east, and the Bible gives many records—“jewels of gold, ankle chains and bracelets, rings, ear-rings and armlets." In ancient Greece and Rome, both women and men wore the jewellery and long before that time the Egyptians used it as shown by discoveries in the Tut-ankh-Amen tomb..

Our Anglo-Saxon ancestors wore the ornaments but, unlike those of the ancient Egyptians, they -were small, plain rings of gold or silver wire.

In the Middle Ages, ear-rings were out of fashion. Very few pictures or statues made at that time show women with jewels in their ears, probably on account of the way the hair was dressed and the head veiled.

In the d~ys of Elizabeth Tudor all dress and jewellery was extravagant. Following the fashion set by the Queen, women covered themselves with lace and jewels, ear-rings included. A pair of Queen Elizabeth’s ear-rings was placed, by order of King Edward VII., in the Imperial Crown of England and used at his coronation. The Stuarts favoured pearls, chiefly pear-shaped, in various beautiful settings as ear ornaments.

The Victorians loved ear-rings too. Quite early in her reign Queen Victoria wore long pendants hanging from her ears, and the fashion grew until, in mid-Victorian days, it became positively extravagant, so large and cumbersome

were the cameo, jet, amber and pinchbeck adornments then in vogue.

Among Good Queen Bess’ famous jewels, apart from those already mentioned, were medallion ear-rings of rubies and pearls, with long pearl pendants.

In Austria the Princess Stephanie, wife of the ill-fated Crown Prince Rudolph, had ear-rings which were so extraordinary in appearance as to be unique, gold, with black negro’s heads enamelled upon the metal.

The late Tsarina of Russia had famous ear-rings among the Crown and her own personal jewels, and some of them are to be seen among the Soviet’s exhibit of Royal luxuries in Russia to-day.

Hair Tonic.

Make a lotion by mixing the white of an egg with foin parts of water. This will set the hair an 1 is also a good tonic.

Hiccoughs. # Relief will be obtained by holding the breath and pulse for*a few seconds.

Colours in the Room.

In the general decoration of the home, neutral colours are being chosen as a background to rich and brilliant colours. Sand-coloured walls and carpets for instance, provide an effective background for hangings and furniture covered with fabrics in jewel bright reds and blues. Grey, which is supposed to be a “cold” colour, does very well when the chief colour accent in a room is poppy-red.

Latest Hair Styles. Too many womr found that upswept hairdressing i./les were hard to keep tidy for them to remain long in fashion. Front curls were not too difficult to train in the way they should go, but wisps were apt to spoil the smooth line' at the back. Newest hair modes are more accommodating. Large curls are rolled back from brow and temples, but at the back, the Lair i.- brushed down sleek and slick, to form a little bunch of curls at the nape of the neck.