Religious Jewelry

• Help remind the wearer of the faith they adhere to, and support their desire to follow it.
• Serve as an expression of love and respect for a person's religious beliefs.
• Act as a gateway to open up conversation with others about the wearer's personal beliefs.
• Some feel it may give emotional strength or act as a talisman or good luck charm.
• Some types of religious jewelry are thought to ward off evil.

The Roots of Jewelry with Religious Meaning

The wearing of jewelry with religious significance has been done since the time of the ancient Egyptians. Symbols with certain meanings were designed from precious metals and stones. Symbols such as the scarab beetle for luck and the "Eye" of Horus for eternal life were common.

Many of the derivatives of Christian jewelry we see today were introduced during medieval times when St. Constantine succeeded in Christianizing the Roman Empire.

Native American Jewelry was and is still used in some areas for religious ceremonies. Most pieces are crafted from natural materials in conjunction with minerals such as turquoise and metals such as silver.

Jewelry from ancient Greece was believed to protect its wearers from evil or impart powers from the gods, and some pieces were also dedicated to the gods. Gold, silver, and ivory were often used.

In India, Hindus use jewelry for a variety of meanings. Jewelry marks the various stages of life, the naming of children, and the unification of men and women in marriage.

The use of religious jewelry to mark certain aspects of a faith, as talismans, for ceremonies, rituals, and much more, has occurred, and continues to exist, in many different religions.

Common Types

While there are a vast number of jewelry types that evoke religious meaning, some kinds of religious jewelry have become much more common than others.

Christian

As the expression of Christian faith becomes less regularized, the wearing of different styles of Christian religious pieces has become more accepted. Rings, earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, pins, brooches, and more. This includes:

• Crosses and crucifixes
• Denominational medallions
• Depictions of Jesus
• The Virgin Mary
• The Dove
• The Mustard Seed
• Christian lockets
• The Icthys or Fish symbol
• Angels
• "Faith, Hope, and Love"
• Praying Hands
• Patron Saints and more in Catholic Jewelry
• Rosary bead necklaces and bracelets
• Prayer rings

Jewish

Among the most popular symbol in Jewish Jewelry is the Star of David. Other symbols and types of Jewish jewelry may include:

• Chai Pendants
• Hamsah Jewelry
• Mezuzahs
• The Menorah Image
• Tree of Life
• Hebrew Verses

New Age

New age jewelry is another common type of religious jewelry. This type of jewelry often has its basis in crystals, gems, and talismans. Jewelry may be based on the zodiac, horoscope symbols, and numerology. Celtic or Rune jewelry is often grouped with new age jewelry. Jewelry may include dragons, "power" beads, amulets, "healing" crystals, and more.

Pricing and Shopping

Religious jewelry comes in a range of prices -- from a one dollar cloth WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) necklace to fine designer gold and diamond jewelry. Although some department and jewelry stores carry jewelry with religious emblems, you may have to check a religious store or retailer specializing in religious styles of jewelry in order to find what you are looking for.

The Internet offers a plethora of quality religious pieces, including:

• Anita Goudeau - Designer Inspirational Jewelry
• CBD - Mid-priced Christian Jewelry
• Jewel Basket -- Variety of Religious Pieces
• Sacred Symbols - Jewish, Christian, and Interfaith Jewelry.

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