Stories of pearl jewelry from history
When we think of sparkling, mesmerizing jewelry, smooth, lustrous pearls automatically come to mind. The so-called “jewelry” includes many different kinds of gemstones, and precious pearls are also indispensable. The importance of pearls has a long history. It is said that pearls have a history of 5,000 years. In China, the earliest record is from the Confucius era; when it comes to freshwater pearls as precious gifts, it began in 2206 BC; in Persia, there are pearl remains in 2000 BC; in Egypt The Greeks had already used pearls for decoration in 330 BC. After Alexander defeated the Persian army, he returned from India and brought back a large amount of pearls.
In Roman historical stories, pearls are also mentioned as the favorite jewelry of nobles. Some Roman women even wore it 24 hours a day, which would make people healthy and wealthy. In European history, there was a period called the “Pearl Age”, which reflected people’s love for pearls. During the Crusades, Europeans brought back a large number of pearls from the East, starting a craze for pearls in Europe. They were used as personal ornaments by nobles, warriors, etc. for centuries. Later, pearls evolved into gemstones exclusive to the royal family. In 1612, a law was also announced in Saxony prohibiting nobles, professionals and civilians from wearing pearls. Only the imperial family could have this privilege. Queen Elizabeth I of England also loved pearls very much. Her clothes and headdresses were often decorated with pearls, as evidenced by books and portraits.
In the early days after Columbus discovered the New World, some writers described seeing pearls in huts, in quantities as large as two gallons. The Indian temples they wrote about were said to be decorated with pearls; and a large number of freshwater pearls were unearthed in Ohio burial mounds in the United States, proving that the Indians at that time knew how to use pearls as necklaces, headdresses and copper sculptures. interior decoration. These natives believe that pearls have a high status, so there are even imitations.
When we read Chinese history, the books often mention the use of pearls as tributes to emperors, ministers, concubines, etc. The Chinese people should be very aware of how precious pearls are, because they have been very famous since ancient times.
Pearls are different from other gemstones in that they do not need to be polished and are already a beautiful and eye-catching ornament. This is also its unique feature. Ancient people believed that pearls could cure thyroid virus and bring good luck to the wearer. Pearls are the lucky birthstone for June. They are also jewelry representing the 12th wedding anniversary, symbolizing happiness. Diamond is the King of Gems, and pearl is the Queen of Gems. The former feels cold (because it is a mineral), while the latter feels warm (because pearls are organic objects). They should represent wisdom and love. No other jewelry can compare to it.
In the Bible, pearls are used as a metaphor for eternal life in the kingdom of heaven – the kingdom of God is like a businessman looking for precious pearls. When he found a very high-quality and expensive pearl, he sold everything he had to buy what he considered the most precious thing.
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