Necklace of braided human hair and bone

This breast ornament was once worn by Hawaiian nobility, especially the ´ali'i´, the head man, as a symbol of power and status. These necklaces were developed in the late nineteenth century when whalers and traders could supply sperm whale and whale teeth in abundance, giving artisans the ability to make larger and more costly versions of the older jewelry made of wood, stone, or human bone. Strands of human hair were also woven more finely. During this same period, the power of indigenous nobility declined and more people began to wear this originally status symbol. At the end of the nineteenth century these jewels were made for trade, because they were a typical Hawaiian trade product.