Nature's Tiny Treasures

Embrace the fascination of insects through stunning jewellery.

- Shreya Sangwan and Dr Seema Kwatra

INSECTS" What flashes in our minds instantly when we hear this word? Insect repellents control the damage they cause to food, clothes, plants, crops, household items and more severely to health. In our day-to-day life, insects play a role which is no less than a zombie that destroys everything including our peace of mind. Millions of insects are killed every year because they cause damage to the crops as pests and also at our homes as they mangle clothes, furnishings, etc. But do you know insects can also be a boon to the fashion industry and economy? This nuisance can actually take the shape of artistry.

Insects have been used as ornaments for a very long time. Insect jewellery is thought to have first been donned by Egyptians. They wore jewellery made of beetles as a symbol to avoid evil eyes that protected them against enemies. In the 1980s, the Mexicans made the first Maquech or brooch made from beetles decorated with precious stones. The women pinned these Maqueches to their chests, over their hearts as a symbol of enduring their love and relationship. The custom is said to have originated from a Mayan folktale, which claims that a Mayan princess who was denied to marry the prince from a rival clan she loved, stopped eating and drinking because she would rather die than live without him. She wished to stay with him till eternity. So that she could live out the rest of her days as a stunning brooch on the chest of her lover, close to his heart turned her into a Maquech.