A nose chain is a type of facial jewelry that originated centuries ago in

Indus Valley Civilization The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form 2600 BCE to 1900&n ...

as part of women's

fashion Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion in ...

in India.

Physical aspects

Simply put, the nose chain is a link between a nose piercing and an ear-piercing. Typically, these "chains" are just that: chain links, usually (though not always) made of some kind of metal. Yet, besides actual chains, the term "''nose chain''" can denote other types of connecting materials between the nose and ear piercings, such as the common alternative of

rosary beads The Rosary (; la, , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), also known as the Dominican Rosary, or simply the Rosary, refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or ...

. Other connectors can be used as well.

History

The nose chain has been commonly worn by women in South Asia and North Africa (Sudan) for centuries. Women in India have been wearing them since before 6th century. It can be evidently seen in many indian sculptures. It is especially significant during wedding ceremonies.

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

tradition dictates that on the wedding night, the bride wears a nose chain which is hooked by a chain to either the earring or hair. The nose chain is worn by women as to show respect and devotion to Goddess Parvati as she is considered the Goddess of marriage.

Subculture

Today the nose chain has risen to prevalence as a recent introduction of Gothic fashion and is now known for its use in several different subcultures around the world.

References

{{Jewellery Gothic fashion Body piercing jewellery Indian fashion Jewellery of India Jewellery of Pakistan