Folk Art and Material Culture

Introduction

Folk art is the art which is formed from a culture which is indigenous or by people belongs to the laboring trades. In comparison with the fine art, the folk art is mainly decorative, useful and effective rather than purely artistic or aesthetic. Furthermore, the material culture is a term which shows the relationship between the social relations and the artifacts. The material culture is used by historians and often explained in the material history which shows the understanding of the ancient objects with the purpose to know how a specific or the certain culture was functioned and organized in the past.

Discussion

Diamonds have long reigned as the ultimate statement of ardor and affection. The presentation of diamond earrings or a diamond pendant can make a woman's eyes sparkle nearly as bright as the diamond jewelry itself. It is the most intimate of tokens, a diamond engagement ring will really make her swoon. The hardest, rarest, densest natural substance known to man, diamonds have been a source of fascination (and misinformation) since 800 BC when they were first presented to royalty in India. In those days the Indians believed that diamonds were created when lightning struck rock. Amazingly the sub-continent was the only producer of diamonds for an astounding 2,500 years.

As bewitching as diamonds are they have produced more than their fair share of myths over the centuries. They've been attributed with increasing potency, preventing lechery, driving away nightmares, counteracting poison, warding off evil, protection from wild beasts, healing sickness and (naturally) attracting good fortune. There's also the lie detector myth: that diamonds will darken in the presence of a guilty person and brighten in the company of an innocent one; and the magical reproduction legend: that diamonds sprinkled with morning dew and left in the dark can reproduce offspring! If only! While Africa is known as the Diamond continent, it is actually in Australia that the largest reserves are to be found - including the very rare and highly valued pink and red fancy colored diamonds.

Centuries ago, it was believed that diamonds protected an individual from harm and actually brought luck and success to the wearer, counteracting the effects of unfortunate astrological events and endowing the wearer with charm and the ability to attract others. The Greek philosopher, Plato wrote about diamonds as living beings, embodying celestial spirits. The folklore of diamonds exists in every culture. In Hindu mythology, diamond has a great importance. It is the vajra (lightning, the weapon of Indra, main god of the Hindus), and by the 6 points of the stone symbolizes the true man who resists to attacks from the north, south, east and west, from the infernal powers and celestial powers. Therefore, a diamond bearer is protected from fire, poison, thieves, water snakes, and evil spirits. People, who use diamonds for magic spells, know they can only be used for positive magic, because a diamond is believed to amplify any energy with which it meets. If your energy is positive ...