Created both for everyday living and for special festivities, the extraordinary objects of adornment displayed here served at once as symbols of wealth, marks of rank and magic talismans. Fashioned from a range of precious and non-precious materials, these are pieces of high aesthetic merit. They come dramatically alive in the photographs in this book when shown adorning the body - their qualities designed to enhance both the dignity and the beauty of their wearers. Other close-up photographs demonstrate the incredible detail and workmanship of the objects.