Tightly Woven Hair Jewelry

Bird Clasp Bangle Bracelet, 1860's-70's (71.147.1)

This bracelet, one of a pair, has a gold bird head fitting at one end and a tail at the other. The bracelet is constructed by tightly weaving hair around a tubular form to give the bracelet some shape and durability. The animal headed bracelet is centuries old, probably deriving from the snake bracelets from Egypt and Rome that symbolized eternal life.

<---Back* * *--->Next

back to virtual exhibits | back to Hair Jewelry