From the very earliest manifestations of civilization in China in the late Neolithic period, a strictly organized political and social hierarchy was in place. Within such a society, the position of individuals was defined through social codes and regulations, both written and unwritten. Chinese civilization thus provides an excellent opportunity to examine how personal ornaments functioned as symbols that identified social and cultural status through the materials used and the decorative motifs chosen. The decoration is, in fact, a language to be seen, read, and interpreted. In THE LANGUAGE OF ADORNMENT, Myrna and Samuel Myers'¬?s collection of Chinese personal ornaments is presented and explored in stunning, full-color plates. A catalog of Chinese adornments from the collection of Myrna and Samuel Myers. Includes full-page color plates of all the pieces.

This volume is filled with beautiful photographs that records a variety of Chinese silver pieces from symbolic locks to fingernail guards. This book explains how the adornment is used in daily and ceremonial life and also interprets the symbols and intricate designs so important to understanding these artifacts. The study of silver pieces also reveals the various Chinese customs and creativity of the Chinese craftsmen. The book not only includes all the basic information that explains everything from different silversmithing techniques to the various types of silver compounds used, but also teaches you how to identify authentic Chinese silver pieces. With a splendid collection of over 1,000 pieces of Chinese silver showcased in this album, this book makes an excellent reference guide.

People everywhere have attempted to change their bodies in an effort to meet their cultural standards of beauty, as well as their religious and/or social obligations. Often times, this modification or adornment of their bodies is part of the complex process of creating and re-creating personal and social identities. Body painting has probably been practiced since the Paleolithic as archaeological evidence indicates, and the earliest human evidence of tattooing goes back to the Neolithic with mummies found in Europe, Central Asia, the Andes and the Middle East. Adornments such as jewelry have been found in the earliest human graves and bodies unearthed from five thousand years ago show signs of intentional head shaping. It is clear that adorning and modifying the body is a central human practice. Over 200 entries address the major adornments and modifications, their historical and cross-cultural locations, and the major cultural groups and places in which body modification has been central to social and cultural practices. This encyclopedia also includes background information on the some of the central figures involved in creating and popularizing tattooing, piercing, and other body modifications in the modern world. Finally, the book addresses some of the major theoretical issues surrounding the temporary and permanent modification of the body, the laws and customs regarding the marking of the body, and the social movements that have influenced or embraced body modification, and those which have been affected by it. All cultures everywhere have attempted to change their body in an attempt to meet their cultural standards of beauty, as well as their religious and or social obligations. In addition, people modify and adorn their bodies as part of the complex process of creating and re-creating their personal and social identities. Body painting has probably been practiced since the Paleolithic as archaeological evidence indicates, and the earliest human evidence of tattooing goes back to the Neolithic with mummies found in Europe, Central Asia, the Andes and the Middle East. Adornments such as jewelry have been found in the earliest human graves and bodies unearthed from five thousand years ago show signs of intentional head shaping. It is clear that adorning and modifying the body is a central human practice. Over 200 entries address the major adornments and modifications, their historical and cross-cultural locations, and the major cultural groups and places in which body modification has been central to social and cultural practices. This encyclopedia also includes background information on the some of the central figures involved in creating and popularizing tattooing, piercing, and other body modifications in the modern world. Finally, the book addresses some of the major theoretical issues surrounding the temporary and permanent modification of the body, the laws and customs regarding the marking of the body, and the social movements that have influenced or embraced body modification, and those which have been affected by it. Entries include, acupuncture, amputation, Auschwitz, P.T. Barnum, the Bible, body dysmorphic disorder, body piercing, branding, breast augmentation and reduction, Betty Broadbent, castration, Christianity, cross dressers, Dances Sacred and Profane, Egypt, female genital mutilation, foot binding, freak shows, genetic engineering, The Great Omi, Greco-Roman world, henna, infibulation, legislation & regulation, lip plates, medical tattooing, Meso-America, military tattoos, National Tattoo Association, nose piercing, obesity, permanent makeup, primitivism, prison tattooing, punk, rites of passage, scalpelling, silicone injections, Stalking Cat, suspensions, tanning, tattoo reality shows, tattooing, Thailand, transgender, tribalism.

Tznius -- modesty -- is an integral facet of Jewish life. In a world where modesty is recognized more by its absence than by its presence, there has never been a greater need for a definitive work on this vital quality. But what precisely are the laws of modesty, what are its parameters, where are its applications? In this long-awaited work, the laws and ideology of modesty are tackled in an exhaustive and comprehensive manner. All the laws of Tznius, whether in dress or behavior, speech and social interaction, are collated and explained in the clear and lucid manner that is characteristic of the author. -- Back cover.

the art of ADORNMENT DESIGN • FASHION • ART Adornment originated in the fourteenth century as the action of making someone or something attractive by adding decoration. It is also those details in design that create evocative rooms, intriguing structures, and beautiful landscapes. The Art of Adornment is lavishly illustrated with design patterns and “adorned” with quotes about design, fashion, and art. It’s the perfect gift for anyone who understands that “the gods are in the details.” Each of the arts whose office is to refine, purify, adorn, embellish, and grace life is under the patronage of a muse, no god being found worthy to preside over them. —RALPH WALDO EMERSON