Diana Némethová
The term traditional folk jewellery encompasses decorative and utilitarian objects highly valued by their wearers that, throughout the course of history, have become an integral part of folk culture. Their origins could be usually found in utilitarian objects transformed to jewellery by being decorated. Mostly, they were neither made of precious metals or stones, nor were they produced in goldsmitheries by famous masters. Nonetheless, they did qualify for jewellery because of their qualities. Taking into consideration the self-sufficiency of country folks in the past, when there was not much money around, it was only understandable that jewellery was being made from available materials. It was often being inherited or recycled by metal melting and, subsequently, used for making new, more up-to-date jewellery. It is also for this reason that it would be rather unusual to find today, in museums or in private collections, folk jewellery older than two hundred years. While jewellery made of precious metals and stones has gradually become almost exclusively a decorative phenomenon and a valuable item, folk jewellery was almost always perceived as a practical item, serving a certain purpose. This is the main difference between folk jewellery and usual jewellery. Whatever material traditional folk jewellery was made from, in the course of centuries, it has become a natural part of our history, enjoying a privileged position worth mentioning.