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Jewellery worn around the neck

A necklace is an article of jewellery that is worn around the neck. Necklaces may have been one of the earliest types of adornment worn by humans. They often serve ceremonial, religious, magical, or funerary purposes and are also used as symbols of wealth and status, given that they are commonly made of precious metals and stones. The main component of a necklace is the band, chain, or cord that wraps around the neck. These are most often rendered in precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum. Necklaces often have additional attachments suspended or inset into the necklace itself. These attachments typically include pendants, lockets, amulets, crosses, and precious and semi precious materials such as diamond, pearls, rubies, emeralds, garnets, and sapphires. They are made with many different type of materials and are used for many things and sometimes classed as clothing.

Prehistoric peoples often used natural materials such as feathers, bone, shells, and plant materials to create necklaces. Evidence of early Upper Paleolithic necklace making in southern Africa and east Africa dates back to 50,000 BP. By the Bronze Age metallic jewellery had replaced pre metallic adornments. Necklaces were first depicted in statuary and art of the Ancient Near East, and early necklaces made of precious metals with inset stones were created in Europe. In Ancient Babylon, necklaces were made of carnelian, lapis lazuli, agate, and gold, which was also made into gold chains. Ancient Sumerians created necklaces and beads from gold, silver, lapis lazuli and carnelian. These collars were often ornamented with semi precious, glass, pottery, and hollow beads. Gold that was fashioned into stylised plant, animal, and insect shapes were common as well. Amulets were also turned into necklaces. In Ancient Crete necklaces were worn by all classes; peasants wore stones on flax thread while the wealthy wore beads of agate, pearl, carnelian, amethyst, and rock crystal. In addition, ropes of pearls, gold plates inset with enamel, and lustrous stones set in gold filigree were often worn. Many large necklaces and the materials that adorned the necklaces were imported from the Near East. Later in the empire, following barbarian invasions, colorful and gaudy jewellery became popular. Germanic tribes often wore gold and silver pieces with complex detailing and inlaid with colored glass and semi precious stones, especially garnet. Heavily jeweled, delicately framed cameo pendants were popular as well. 1800–1870: The low necklines of the court gowns fashionable at this time led to the use of large necklaces set with precious jewels. In the Romantic period necklaces were extravagant: it was fashionable to wear a tight, gem encrusted collar with matching jewel pendants attached and rosettes of gems with pearl borders.

In China, there is a custom of wearing a necklace with a longevity lock pendant. These lock charms were sometimes personally tied around the necks of children by Buddhist or Taoist priests. The longevity lock is known as changmingsuo and is an important form of amulet for children for thousand of years in Chinese culture. According to Chinese beliefs, the changmingsuo protect children from evil spirits and bad luck by locking its wearer's soul and life inside of the lock. The changmingsuo is often made with precious materials, such as gold, silver, and jade, and having auspicious words carved on it. The depictions of the keyūra was introduced in China along with Buddhism. It comes in variety of styles, shapes, and materials.

Non jewellery items are also used similar to a necklace to be worn on a neck, for example lanyards holding badges and cards.