{{Short description|Piece of jewellery made to hang from a cord, chain, ribbon or necklace}} {{About|the jewellery|the condition of something hanging|pendent|other uses}} {{Distinguish|pedant}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} thumb|Amber pendants [[File:Pushpaka Thali.png|thumb|right|Pushpaka Thali - Wedding pendant used by Pushpaka Brahmins of Kerala, India]] [[File:Nasrani Syrian Christian Minnu.jpg|thumb|Wedding pendant with 21 beads used by Saint Thomas Christians of India]] [[File:Spanish jewellery-Gold and emerald pendant at VAM-01.jpg|thumb|Spanish pendant at Victoria and Albert Museum.]] thumb|Indonesian pendants
A '''pendant''' is a loose-hanging piece of jewellery, generally attached by a small loop to a necklace, which may be known as a "pendant necklace".<ref name="pendant/">{{cite web |url=http://www.talismanamulet.org/2012/08/the-early-pendant-jewelry-and-talisman.html |title=The Early Pendant: A Jewelry And A Talisman |publisher=Talismanamulet.org |access-date=7 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208072001/http://www.talismanamulet.org/2012/08/the-early-pendant-jewelry-and-talisman.html |archive-date=8 December 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A pendant earring is an earring with a piece hanging down. Its name stems from the Latin word ''pendere'' and Old French word ''pendr'', both of which translate to "to hang down". In modern French, ''pendant'' is the gerund form of ''pendre'' ("to hang") and also means "during". The extent to which the design of a pendant can be incorporated into an overall necklace makes it not always accurate to treat them as separate items.<ref name=johns104/>
In some cases, though, the separation between necklace and pendant is far clearer.<ref name=johns104>{{cite book |last=Johns |first=Catherine |date=1996 |title=The Jewellery of Roman Britain Celtic and classical Traditions |publisher=Routledge |page=104 |isbn=9780415516129}}</ref>
==Overview== thumb|Carved agarwood imperial pendant, Qing dynasty, China. Adilnor Collection, Sweden. Pendants are among the oldest recorded types of bodily adornment. Stone, shell, pottery, and more perishable materials were used. Ancient Egyptians commonly wore pendants, some shaped like hieroglyphs.
Pendants can have several functions, which may be combined: * Award (i.e., Scouting Ireland Chief Scout's Award, Order of CúChulainn) * Identification (i.e., religious symbols, sexual symbols, symbols of rock bands) * Ornamentation * Ostentation (i.e., jewels). * Protection (i.e., amulets, religious symbols) * Self-affirmation (i.e., initials, names)
The many specialized types of pendants include lockets which open, often to reveal an image, and pendilia, which hang from larger objects of metalwork.
== Types == Throughout the ages, pendants have come in a variety of forms to serve a variety of purposes.
=== Amulet === Though amulets come in many forms, a wearable amulet worn around the neck or on the arm or leg in the form of a pendant is the most common. These are objects believed to possess magical or spiritual power to protect the wearer from danger or dispel evil influences.<ref name=amulet> {{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=The Columbia Encyclopedia |title=amulet |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com |access-date=27 October 2014 |edition=6th |year=2014 |publisher=Encyclopedia.com }} </ref>
=== Talisman === Similar to an amulet, a talisman is an object believed to possess supernatural traits. However, while an amulet is strictly a defensive object, a talisman is meant to confer special benefits or powers upon the wearer.<ref name=Talisman> {{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology |title=Talisman |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com |access-date=27 October 2014 |year=2001 |publisher=Encyclopedia.com }} </ref>
=== Locket === A locket is a small object that opens to reveal a space which serves to hold a small object, usually a photograph or a curl of hair. They typically come in the form of a pendant hanging from a necklace, though they will occasionally be hung from a charm bracelet.<ref>{{cite book |last=Luscomb |first=Sally |title= The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons |date=June 2003 |location=Atglen, PA |publisher=Schiffer |page=242 |isbn=0-7643-1815-2 }}</ref>
=== Medallion === A medallion is most often a coin-shaped piece of metal worn as a pendant around the neck or pinned onto clothing. These are generally granted as awards, recognitions, or religious blessings.<ref name=medal> {{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=The Columbia Encyclopedia |title=Medal |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com |access-date=27 October 2014 |year=2014 |publisher=Encyclopedia.com }} </ref>
===Painting=== {{Main|Pendant painting}} Pendant is the name given to one of two paintings conceived as a pair. They usually are gift from couples and some cultures consider the act of giving one a marry proposition.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bernardine.com/pendants-for-married-couple/ |title=Pendants For Married Couple - A Perfect Gift For Your Partner}}</ref>
===Functional pendants=== [[File:Memmingen - Wallenstein 2016 - Ringsonnenuhr.jpg|thumb|Traveller's sundial pendant (a portable form of astronomical rings) used to tell time from the sun.]] Tools worn as pendants include Maori pounamu pendants. Shepherd's whistles, bosun's whistles, and ocarinas can also be made as pendants. Portable astronomical and navigational instruments were made as pendants.
In the first decade of the 21st century, jewellers started to incorporate USB flash drives into pendants.<ref name=Yamamotofeb>{{cite news |title=USB as fashion statement |first=Mike |last=Yamamoto |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9683053-1.html |newspaper=CNet |date=1 February 2007 |access-date=3 October 2013 |archive-date=5 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005001854/http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9683053-1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=Yamamotojune>{{cite news |title=The hot trend in designer jewelry: USB keys |first=Mike |last=Yamamoto |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9728324-1.html |newspaper=CNet |date=11 June 2007 |access-date=3 October 2013}}</ref>
===Fashion pendants=== Fashion pendants include a small creative piece often made from precious or non-precious stones and metals like diamonds or pearls hanging freely from a chain or necklace. These are generally worn as a statement piece or a fashion ornament.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.heyhappiness.com/blogs/hh-blog/pendant-necklaces |title=Ways to Style Pendant Necklaces|date=18 January 2017 }}</ref>
===Other types=== * Harness pendant
==See also== * Boule de Genève * Petit chien à bélière * Tudor Heart Pendant * Yupei - Chinese jade pendant * Jewellery chain
==References== {{Commons category|Pendants (jewellery)}} {{Reflist}}
{{Jewellery}}
Category:Jewellery components Category:Necklaces Category:Types of jewellery