As in many ancient societies, jewellery was an important social marker used to demonstrate wealth. As a result of the expansion of the Roman Empire, Roman jewellery became more and more elaborate in its designs and materials used, such as precious and semi-precious gemstones. Glass especially, was used to embellish and decorate different pieces of jewellery. Both Roman men and women wore elaborate jewellery, however, chocker necklaces, such as this fine example, were worn exclusively by Roman women. Funerary portraits recovered from the Egyptian city of Faiyum, demonstrate how the fashion of wearing chokers, together with amuletic necklaces and earrings, was widespread across all the Roman Empire.
To discover more about jewellery in the Ancient World, please visit our relevant post: Jewellery in Antiquity.
