just playing around this info came up:

From an article on Bangles found at: www.indiaprofile.com/fashion/bangles.htm
The Ahirs of Rajasthan and Rabaris of Gujarat, the pastoral tribes cover their entire hand with broad plain bangles made of bone. The unmarried wear them only from the wrist to the elbow whereas the married wear them from the elbow upwards as far up as the underarm. Since these tribes are nomadic and they cannot keep their assets under safe keeping they wear their saving in the form of jewellery on their person.
When struck by any natural calamity like draught or famine, bands of the tribes flock to the closest town to sell their bone bangles. The Lambadis of Andhra Pradesh wear these graded bone bangles only upto their elbows.

Here is a nice post about the customery clothing and costuming of Rajasthan, that I will post also in my Rajasthan tribe as well:
www.travelindia.com/indiagui...ewel.html