In Ancient Roman society, jewellery was an essential accessory, providing the wearer with a public display of their wealth, social status, and identity. Gold and silver pieces were worn by the wealthier members of Roman society, while bronze and other metals provided a cheaper alternative for lower social classes. Roman jewellery at first followed the trends set by the Etruscans, employing the use of gold and glass beads. As the power and spread of the Roman Empire increased, jewellery designs became increasingly elaborate, utilising the many different materials, techniques, and styles found across the expanding empire, particularly from Greece, Egypt, North Africa, and the Orient. Earrings are known as one of the first forms of jewellery, found adorning both men and women as early as the Bronze Age. The wide range of natural resources enabled artisans to create ostentatious jewellery using a diverse selection of materials: this increasingly included sapphires, diamonds, emeralds, garnet and amber from India, and pearls (which were particularly prized). Pliny the Elder even attested to the popularity of earrings, with pearl earrings being especially popular among women.
To discover more about jewellery in the Roman Empire, please see our relevant blog post: Jewellery In Antiquity.
