Handmade Choker Necklace Beaded Work | African craft

The choker dates back thousands of years and was first worn by the world’s earliest civilizations: the Sumer empire in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, according to the National Jeweler. Women wore chokers to both hide and highlight the neck, the most vulnerable part of the human body. Women believed these necklaces, especially gold ones, were protective and infused with special powers. Many sources claim that chokers were first seen in 1798 during the French Revolution. Female French expatriates wore red ribbons around their necks as a way of paying tribute to those who had lost their lives to the guillotine. During the later 1800s, chokers became a royal trend of elaborate style. During the late 60s and 70s, rock stars integrated chokers into their fashion—and it wasn’t only women who wore them. With the rise of the grunge scene in the 90s came edgy chokers worn by stars like Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani and Lenny Kravitz. The choker became even more popular than it was in 70s, becomin