Published: 2025-09-30

You shouldn't fall in love with jewelry—but you can tell your love story with jewelry The symbolic meaning of jewelry in cultural communication

Lucyna Maria Rotter
Kultura Media Teologia
Section: Artykuły i rozprawy
https://doi.org/10.21697/kmt.2025.63.03

Abstract

Body adornment, including through jewelry, seems to have accompanied humans since ancient times. Sometimes jewelry served a purely decorative purpose, often emphasizing sexual attractivenes. Sometimes it was an investment, other times it served a representative function. Very often, it also served a symbolic or magical function. This latter function, in many cultures and religions, was a form of communicating feelings – especially love. Jewelry thus told stories of infatuation and love, sometimes supporting the narrative with magic. It also expressed patriotic sentiments (love of one's country) or religious sentiments (love of God).

Keywords:

jewelry, symbolism, sentimental jewelry, patriotic jewelry, devotional jewelry, amulets, talismans

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Citation rules

Rotter, Lucyna Maria. “You shouldn’t Fall in Love With jewelry—but You Can Tell Your Love Story With Jewelry The Symbolic Meaning of Jewelry in Cultural Communication”. Kultura Media Teologia, vol. 63, no. 3, Sept. 2025, pp. 47-61, doi:10.21697/kmt.2025.63.03.

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