This pair of flat earrings represents a fraction of the wide repertoire of silver jewellery made, worn and exchanged by highland communities in northern Thailand. They are made from sheet silver, which is cut into circular bands that taper into spirals at each end. This type is mainly worn by the Hmong.The Hmong is an ethnic minority group who migrated into Thailand from China and Laos during the 18th and 19th centuries. 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. Hmong girls were given silver jewellery by their parents as bride wealth ('phij cuab') which ensured them of some independence and status in their new home. Silver 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.
