(extract from essay)

Using Williamson theory Woodward explains that,

‘We have to be able to imagine ourselves, to reflect on who we are and how we appear to others, we do this through symbolizing, through producing images and visualizing ourselves’ (Questioning identity: gender, class, ethnicity, 2004, p.13)

She claims that identity is a way for people to see themselves and how others see them. One can choose the image they want to present to others. Williamson (2004) claims that one has a choice of identity, and when that image is chosen other people will understand. In many cultures clothes and jewellery are interpreted in many different ways.

Jewellery is an item of personal adornment, which has always been a symbol of power, rank, or religion. From looking at who adorned themselves with what, one can get an insight into the values and the level of knowledge within a particular culture that is being represented.

Jewellery with religious meaning attached to it has been worn for many centuries by many cultures, and each culture in itself has its own sets of symbols and icons, which represent different parts of their religion and faith. The reason people adorn themselves with these religious jewellery is by a way of feeling closer to God and to reaffirm their faith. As well as wearing jewellery to symbolise their faith and religion, they express this in their wearing of religious clothing and decorations. The wearing of religious jewellery is a silent form of expressing ones faith and religion to others.

Using Williamson theory Woodward suggests that,
‘Symbols and representations are important in the production of identities. This is how we signal our identities to others and how we know which people we identify with, and those who are distinguished as being different’ (Questioning identity: gender, class, ethnicity, 2004, p12)

Representations on statues, reliefs, and pictures are important sources, which shows evidence of jewellery traditions in different cultures. One can tell who traded with whom, by simply looking at the similarities between the different styles of jewellery. This early international exchange formed new ideas, inspirations and designs. There are so many ways as to how jewellery has been used, for storage, for wealth display, and for exchange for currency. The functionality was also a purpose of the piece, worn as a symbol to express a status or to show membership. Jewellery also came in forms of amulets, which were charms that were said to provide protection from the evil and to reflect bad luck away from the wearer. Other reasons for the wearing of jewellery were for the artistic display, to create an aesthetic impression.