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pendant

{{Short description|Piece of jewellery made to hang from a cord, chain, ribbon or necklace}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}

{{about|the jewellery|the condition of something hanging|pendent|other uses}}

{{Distinguish|pedant}}

File:Amber.pendants.800pix.050203.jpg

File:Pushpaka Thali.png of Kerala, India]]

File:Nasrani Syrian Christian Minnu.jpg of India]]

File:Spanish jewellery-Gold and emerald pendant at VAM-01.jpg.]]

File:WLA lacma Indonesia Bird Pendant ca 100 BC-AD 300.jpg

A pendant is a loose-hanging piece of jewellery, generally attached by a small loop to a necklace, which may be known as a "pendant necklace".{{cite web |url=http://www.talismanamulet.org/2012/08/the-early-pendant-jewelry-and-talisman.html |title=The Early Pendant: A Jewelry And A Talisman |publisher=Talismanamulet.org |access-date=7 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208072001/http://www.talismanamulet.org/2012/08/the-early-pendant-jewelry-and-talisman.html |archive-date=8 December 2012 |url-status=dead }} A pendant earring is an earring with a piece hanging down. Its name stems from the Latin word pendere and Old French word pendr, both of which translate to "to hang down". In modern French, pendant is the gerund form of pendre ("to hang") and also means "during". The extent to which the design of a pendant can be incorporated into an overall necklace makes it not always accurate to treat them as separate items.

In some cases, though, the separation between necklace and pendant is far clearer.{{cite book |last=Johns |first=Catherine |date=1996 |title=The Jewellery of Roman Britain Celtic and classical Traditions |publisher=Routledge |page=104 |isbn=9780415516129}}

Overview

File:Qing-agarwood-pendant.jpg

Pendants are among the oldest recorded types of bodily adornment. Stone, shell, pottery, and more perishable materials were used. Ancient Egyptians commonly wore pendants, some shaped like hieroglyphs.

Pendants can have several functions, which may be combined:

The many specialized types of pendants include lockets which open, often to reveal an image, and pendilia, which hang from larger objects of metalwork.

Types

Throughout the ages, pendants have come in a variety of forms to serve a variety of purposes.

= Amulet =

Though amulets come in many forms, a wearable amulet worn around the neck or on the arm or leg in the form of a pendant is the most common. These are objects believed to possess magical or spiritual power to protect the wearer from danger or dispel evil influences.

{{cite encyclopedia

|encyclopedia=The Columbia Encyclopedia

|title=amulet

|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com

|access-date=27 October 2014

|edition=6th

|year=2014

|publisher=Encyclopedia.com

}}

= Talisman =

Similar to an amulet, a talisman is an object believed to possess supernatural traits. However, while an amulet is strictly a defensive object, a talisman is meant to confer special benefits or powers upon the wearer.

{{cite encyclopedia

|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology

|title=Talisman

|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com

|access-date=27 October 2014

|year=2001

|publisher=Encyclopedia.com

}}

= Locket =

A locket is a small object that opens to reveal a space which serves to hold a small object, usually a photograph or a curl of hair. They typically come in the form of a pendant hanging from a necklace, though they will occasionally be hung from a charm bracelet.{{cite book |last=Luscomb |first=Sally |title= The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons |date=June 2003 |location=Atglen, PA |publisher=Schiffer |page=242 |isbn=0-7643-1815-2 }}

= Medallion =

A medallion is most often a coin-shaped piece of metal worn as a pendant around the neck or pinned onto clothing. These are generally granted as awards, recognitions, or religious blessings.

{{cite encyclopedia

|encyclopedia=The Columbia Encyclopedia

|title=Medal

|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com

|access-date=27 October 2014

|year=2014

|publisher=Encyclopedia.com

}}

=Painting=

{{Main|Pendant painting}}

Pendant is the name given to one of two paintings conceived as a pair. They usually are gift from couples and some cultures consider the act of giving one a marry proposition.{{cite web |url=https://www.bernardine.com/pendants-for-married-couple/ |title=Pendants For Married Couple - A Perfect Gift For Your Partner}}

=Functional pendants=

File:Memmingen - Wallenstein 2016 - Ringsonnenuhr.jpg pendant (a portable form of astronomical rings) used to tell time from the sun.]]

Tools worn as pendants include Maori pounamu pendants. Shepherd's whistles, bosun's whistles, and ocarinas can also be made as pendants. Portable astronomical and navigational instruments were made as pendants.

In the first decade of the 21st century, jewellers started to incorporate USB flash drives into pendants.{{cite news |title=USB as fashion statement |first=Mike |last=Yamamoto |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9683053-1.html |newspaper=CNet |date=1 February 2007 |access-date=3 October 2013 |archive-date=5 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005001854/http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9683053-1.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |title=The hot trend in designer jewelry: USB keys

|first=Mike |last=Yamamoto |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9728324-1.html |newspaper=CNet |date=11 June 2007 |access-date=3 October 2013}}

=Fashion pendants=

Fashion pendants include a small creative piece often made from precious or non-precious stones and metals like diamonds or pearls hanging freely from a chain or necklace. These are generally worn as a statement piece or a fashion ornament.{{cite web |url=https://www.heyhappiness.com/blogs/hh-blog/pendant-necklaces |title=Ways to Style Pendant Necklaces|date=18 January 2017 }}

=Other types=

  • Harness pendant

See also

References

{{Commons category|Pendants (jewellery)}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Jewellery}}

Category:Jewellery components

Category:Necklaces

Category:Types of jewellery