The colour and exuberance of ethnic jewellery have always attracted collectors and travellers. African beadwork, American Indian silver, jade from the Far East, and shellwork from the Pacific are just some of the beautiful pieces surveyed in this book. In eight regional surveys, a team of experts explains how such jewellery has been made and worn, the relationship of the materials to the culture, and how the techniques of manufacture have survived for centuries. Even today traditional jewellery is still being made, although the repertoire is constantly enriched by new materials and influences by modern taste.