During The Roman Empire jewellery became quickly a fundamental and essential social display of wealth. Following the spread of the Roman Empire, Roman jewellery became more and more elaborate in the designs and in the materials used. Semi-precious gemstones, such as garnet, together with pearls, were used to enrich and embellish earrings, rings and necklaces. Pearls especially were highly treasured by the Romans, worn as a public display of richness and prestige. Many Roman funerary portraits excavated in Egypt, show women of the high society wearing gold earrings with pearls.
To discover more about the meanings of gemstones and semi-precious gemstones in Antiquity, please visit our relevant blog post: The History and Mythology of Gemstones in Ancient Jewellery.