April A-Z Blogging Challenge: J is for Jewelry, a brainstorming invitation

[aldersprig]

The Meme Master Post

For J-is-for-Jewelry, I'd like to invite you to engage in some worldbuilding with me: Caleyena jewelry.

The Calenyena are one of the two major nations/socioethnic groups (that doesn't appear to be a term but I don't know why not) on the continent of Reiassan in my fantasy setting by the same name.

The Calenyena (and the proto-Calenyena, back in Homeland) have 5 major time periods I've touched on: Before they encountered the Tabersi (proto-Bitrani), during the time when they were trying to live with the Tabersi, the "sword and sorcery" era on Reiassan, the Rin-and-Girey era, and the Steampunk era, where Edally Academy is set.

For this, let's focus primarily on the last two time periods, since I've written the most in those two times.

Things I know about these times:

They have only the Bitrani, the island people, and the semi-independent island people to trade with; there is no contact with other continents. In the Rin-and-Girey time, they are often at war with the Bitrani & thus have to go to extreme lengths to GET to the island people, since the islands are in the south.

The north and mid-north, where the Calenyena live, are wood-poor; there is more wood in the south, much of it mangrove- and teak-style.

They have lots of mountains: mining exists.

They have glass-blowing skill and technique and lots of sea-side beach.

Their primary garments are a tunic, often buttoned over one collarbone or, later, down one side of the front, over long pants or a skirt.

They love bright colors, the brighter and more colors the better.

Their technology in the Rin-Girey era is vaguely height-of-Roman-Empire in in the steampunk era is, ah, vaguely steampunk.

So: Thoughts on their styles and types of jewelry in both those eras? Questions?

---

anke suggested enamel.

Comments

[anke]

Liking bright colours, plus working with glass, brings enamel to my mind.

[aldersprig]

Ooh, enamel! Neat!

[inventrix]

Glass or stone beads
necklace: one two three four five six seven
earrings: one two three four five six

Some other thoughts:
Jewelry typically functions as an indicator of wealth and status in most cultures through most periods of history, much like fashion in general. So, the valued elements of said jewelry tend to reflect the financial values of the people - specifically, scarce, valued materials and high cost skilled labor. Thus: what fit those criteria for the Calenyena?

My speculations: more elaborate bead work, rare glass dye colors, feature precious stones, use of precious metals for base structural elements, and carved wood - especially elaborately carved and partly painted - since wood is not plentiful.

During later, more prosperous industrial eras, the focus would shift more to craftsmanship and heirlooms than base materials. Normally I would also say exotic materials as well but there is very little long-distance trading and thus not really any way to obtain such things.

Unlike most of these pictoral examples, the jewelry would likely not be symmetrical. Earrings sold/made as singles, not pairs, perhaps, as well as asymmetrical pendants and beadwork patterns.

[inventrix]

Furthermore: for nomadic people, there tends to be a cultural norm of wearing one's wealth - e.g. elaborately embroidered fabrics - so it's very likely that wearing jewelry is the norm, and much like the embroidery, the difference is how expensive and elaborate it is.

I would posit that hair pieces are common, and that beads are often braided into one's hair.

[aldersprig]

HAIR BEADS yesss And hair pieces, elaborate hair pieces.

I was thinking about the wearing-wealth earlier, and then it didn't make it into this piece.

[aldersprig]

ooh asymmetrical earrings, my inner 14-year-old is THRILLED :-D