Jewellery Trader

Who are the Miao?

Do you think it's possible to wear 30 pounds of pure silver jewelry from head to foot? Well, the Miao are a a people who love to show off their silver ornaments that would be striking to any foreign visitor! Being a minority group in the mountainous areas of south and southwestern China, the Miao think the glistening silver is a symbol of light that can bring hope and prosperous future. There are so many different kinds of Miao silver ornaments, here are just a few:

Silver headdresses

Miao silver headdresses are quite a sight and are worn only on very special occasions, like weddings or important holidays. They are made up of three individual parts: the horns, the hat, and the hood.

Silver horns: The silver horns are the most important part of a Miao silver headdress, and they are crafted to mimic the horns of an ox. From one horn to another, the headpiece can span almost three feet and will usually reach about the same height. So the length of them is half the height of the wearer!

The designs of the horn can be quite ornate. There is always a pattern of two dragons playing with a ball engraved on it. Women put some silver flowers, butterflies, or a pair of white feathers onto the horn to make it higher and more attractive.

Silver hat: A silver hat is the base of the headdress and can be a foot tall. It’s completely covered with silver flowers, birds, animals, bells, and

tassels. Behind the hat are twelve pieces of silver feathers hanging all the way down to their waist.

Silver hood: The silver hood hangs down from the hat and covers parts of the face and neck. In some Miao areas, there are five glistening ornaments placed on the silver hood, with the biggest one in the middle falling from the forehead and the others dropping around ears.

A silver hood features three layers in other areas. The highest layer has 29 beautiful, round silver flowers. The middle layer has a round glass showing off in the center, and 14 warriors riding horses on each side. The lowest layer features fringes.

Silver hairpins

Miao silver hairpins always feature flowers, birds, and butterflies. The most striking designs feature 10 silver flowers which look like a Chinese fan. Colorful beads glisten in the flowers and five silver phoenixes fly around the center.

Some hairpins look really cool, like chopsticks with tassels and silver bells glistening into them.

Silver combs

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