The island's emblematic emprendada is steeped in an extraordinary melting pot of cultures.

For pay&eacute;s women in the pre-1970 campo of <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/ibiza/five-classic-ibiza-chiringuitos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ibiza</a>, there were few opportunities for dressing up. Most wore the gonella, a heavy black woollen outfit with multi-layered skirts and a demure black blouse. Decorative and pale-coloured outfits were reserved for high days and holidays, in particular the bal pay&eacute;s, a country dance whose origins are firmly rooted in Ibiza&rsquo;s Arabic history, and for the festeig, an ancient courting ritual.&nbsp;

Payés Women Dressed in Traditional Gonella and Emprendada

During the festeig, an eligible young woman would receive a selection of potential suitors in her family home. In this peculiarly formal arrangement, chaperoned by her mother, the girl alone had the right to choose her future groom. It is within this context that the origins of the emprendada can be found. A highly decorative and unique set of many-layered chains and jewels, the emprendada was worn by the young woman as a symbol of her family&rsquo;s wealth to any hopeful husband. In a society where <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/ibiza/sustainability-in-ibiza-beauty-goes-green-for-earth-day-in-ibiza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">farms</a> and lands passed to the eldest male, the emprendada was the girl&rsquo;s birthright, which she in turn would pass to her daughters.

More and more elements would be added to the emprendada over time, increasing the significance of each set of jewels, and the growing treasure would be displayed at social and religious gatherings. The original emprendadas were made from silver and protective red coral. The coral was found on the seabed around the <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/ibiza/easter-in-ibiza-semana-santa-in-ibiza-traditional-island-vibes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">islands</a> and the silver procured from the old mines of Sant Carles (s&rsquo;argentera). For the last hundred years or so, gold has become more common, with rosary-like amulets, crosses and lockets.

Honouring the cultural rites of Ibiza.

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