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An armlet, also known as an arm ring or an armband, is a
band of metal, usually a precious metal, worn as an
ornament around the biceps of the upper arm. The arm
ring is similar to a bracelet or bangle, though it must
be shaped and sized to fit snugly to the upper arm.
Historically, the arm ring was commonly worn by men, and
often a ring in bronze age heroic literature would refer
to an arm ring, rather than a finger ring, however, in
Celtic iron-age literature, "ring" would also refer to a
torc. Armlets are commonly known as bajuband in India.
They are worn on the upper arm, just above the elbow.
The wearers of the bajuband are considered wealthy, as
it is a symbol of prosperity. Bajubands also help
modestly cover bare arms of a woman. In India, like the
moon, silver is considered to possess the alchemic
properties of coolness against that of heat generated by
gold. In other words, silver jewelry is supposed to have
a cooling effect on the wearers metabolism, whereas
those of gold are believed to heat up the body. It is
but natural that being popular among the vast rural
communities, the silver jewelry of India reflects an
enormous array of techniques, patterns, motifs, as well
as beliefs and practices of the micro cultural regions
to which they respectively belong. Flowers and foliage,
fruits and berries, birds and animals commonly found in
the surroundings of each region have been instrumental
in providing design inspiration to the local
silversmiths. Today, arm bracelets are more commonly worn by
women |
