This pair of earrings represent a fraction of the wide repertoire of silver jewellery made, worn and exchanged by highland communities in northern Thailand. These flat thick semi- circular bands taper into spirals at each end.Silver was valued more highly than gold by many highland communities. Silver jewellery was a way of investing a family’s wealth to be passed down as heirlooms. It was also believed to have protective properties. Today, where security maybe a problem, silver is kept locked away while aluminium is used as a substitute.
