Skulls appear in all styles of clothing, accessories and jewelry. They are highlighted in modern art and tattoos. However, what is really behind the representation of a skull or skeleton? Why are skulls present in fashion?
History of skull and crossbones jewelry
Origin of bone jewelry
Wearing bones and metal jewelry representing skulls comes from ancient history. The symbolism behind these depictions has not changed much over thousands of years.
Belief and tribute to the dead
In many ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Mayan and Aztecs, they used skulls as a symbol of the cycle of death and rebirth. In these cultures, death was not associated with a negative side as it is today. The cycle of nature, including the passage into the next life and even the next world, was treated with respect.
Body jewelry with death heads and human skulls were widely used by the Aztecs during their sacrifice ceremonies. This was passed down over time in the modern Mexican festival known as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
During the Elizabethan period in Europe rings were made with "death's head skull" or with a skull without jaws. These rings quickly became the symbol of the adhesion to "the societal underworld".
What do skull jewels represent?
Skulls represent a hard side of the personality of the individual who wears such a jewel. The most common associated symbol is that of the struggle between life and death. Living life to the fullest is a constant for wearers of such accessories. It is a symbol of power that is strongly emphasized in the eyes of others. A clear message to remind us that our time is limited and that we must live the most of it.
Why are skull jewelry so popular?
In addition to ancient civilizations, this trend gained momentum during the Elizabethan period in Europe. Members of secret societies used "death's head skull" rings to symbolize membership in their brotherhood.
Later these jewels became more common and popular because of their strong symbolism. Their masculine and powerful sides make these fashion accessories an obvious choice. There is also the notion of aesthetics in the human skeleton, whether we like it or not.
Who wears skull and crossbones jewelry?
Here is a non-exhaustive list of the types of people who like skull and crossbones jewelry.
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Bikers
This is not a surprise to see the bikers in this list. It is one of the most representative groups of people in this fashion. They love skull rings. Their free and rebellious spirit fits perfectly with this symbolism.
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Fans of Rock, Punk Rock, Heavy Metal
Their rebellious sides make them naturally attracted to the representation that the skull inspires in the other person. They like wear skull bracelet. This accentuates their non-conformist sides.
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Gothics
Well known for their dark side, the gothic people naturally turn to this kind of jewelry. Although the reason is more complicated than that, their attraction to anything lugubrious and morbid makes them skull and crossbones fans. They often wear choker necklaces.
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Emo
Resulting from a mix between gothic and punk, emo have an emotional side that is very present in their style. What is stronger in emotion than love and sadness? It is the sad side that attracts these people to the skulls that refer to death. They prefer skull pendant necklaces.
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Scene
Difficult to differentiate from emos at first glance. Their style is more colorful than emos with a childish touch. They also wear skulls often in collar necklace or drop earrings. Scene prefer colorful fashion jewelry.
Skull jewelry has become trendy
The craze for skull jewelry has been democratized thanks to the Mexican dia de los muertos festival and especially the "Sugar Skull" which inspired modern jewelry.
The passion for these jewels continues to evolve thanks to the creativity of the master jewellers and the beauty of the art.
Where can I find skull jewelry?
You can find skull jewelry almost everywhere but you have to make sure of the quality because many websites offer poor quality copies. At Pirate-Skull we work in partnership with several jewelers in order to bring our customers the best product. Here you could find skull and bones and skeletons in our skull jewelry collection. Whether you are a gothic biker or simply like skull and bones lover, we probably have the right jewel for you.