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 Since the earliest times people have been enchanted by pearls and the shells of the mollusks that produce them. Pearls are the oldest known gem, and have, for centuries been considered one of the most valuable. In many cultures, pearls were worn as a declaration of wealth and power, and used as talismans to bring good fortune, to ward off evil spirits and to cure illnesses. Ancient kings gave pearls as gifts and were buried with them as a symbol of their status, while their serfs paid taxes, settled debts and bartered with them. The pearl has long been associated with "charity" and the hope of a pearl after death was an incentive for living a good life.
"If in life you gave no alms, in death how do you deserve a pearl?"
Chuang Tzu, China, c. 2350-625 B.C.
Pearls were symbolic of purity, chastity and feminine charm. The pearl has been considered a symbol of unblemished perfection in many cultures. Pearls symbolize purity and innocence and are often associated with weddings for this reason. In the Hindu religion, the presentation of an undrilled pearl and its piercing has formed part of the marriage ceremony.
Pearls, unlike other gems, are the product of living
beings. Mollusks found in the lakes, rivers, and oceans of the
world all naturally produce "pearls". Some produce unattractive
lumps while others yield the stunning spheres man has coveted
throughout history. A natural pearl is formed when a small irritant (rarely a grain of sand) lodges in the mantle tissue of a mollusk. In response, the mollusk secretes a substance called nacre, and a pearl begins to be created. Nacre is a combination of crystalline and organic substances. The nacre builds up around the irritant in layers to protect the mollusk., After a few years, this build up of nacre forms the pearl. Most natural pearls only produce one pearl at a time while cultured pearls are "nucleated" to produce multiple pearls in each mollusk.
Learn About Pearl Culturing
 As early as 3500 BC, pearls were worn in civilized Middle Eastern and Asian societies. In fact, the oldest surviving pearl necklace was found in the sarcophagus of a Persian Princess. Pearls continued to grow in popularity through Roman times. In classical Rome, only free persons above a certain rank were allowed to wear pearl jewelry. It is thought that a single pearl earring paid for one Roman general's political campaign and that Julius Caesar may have invaded Britain in 55 B.C. to obtain freshwater pearls. After the fall of Rome, Constantinople became the center of wealth and the center of pearl trade because of its strategic position between the source and the consumer.
Madonna and Child
13th century
Mosaic
Chapel of the Crucifix
San Paolo fuori le Mura, Rome
During the Christian era pearls retained both their monetary and symbolic value. The language of symbolism was commonly used around the time of Jesus Christ. Most people were familiar with the symbolic meanings including the circle as a symbol of God, because it has no beginning and no end. The pearl was considered to represent "Love, Knowledge and Wisdom". There are many references to the pearl in the Bible. In this passage Holy things are compared to pearls.
"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you."
Matthew 7:6
In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, pearls were still very fashionable in Europe as embellishments for clothing and as personal ornaments. During this period the Church was all-powerful and most European countries had implemented Sumptuary Laws in an effort to do away with the extravagance of the time. These laws prohibited people of lower incomes and lower estates to wear certain things. These laws even dictated who could wear pearls. For example, teachers and lawyers could not wear fringes or chains with pearls.
Girl with the Pearl Earring
Johannes Vermeer
1665
By the early 1700s the demand for pearls declined because the discovery of diamonds in Brazil made diamonds more affordable. Pearl supplies became inconsistent, and pearl imitations began to appear on the market. The late 1700s saw a reversal in fortune. Good harvests from several established pearl sources and the discovery of new sources gave the pearl industry a much-needed boost.
The desire for pearls eventually resulted
in demand exceeding supply. The early 1900s saw trade affected by a supply shortage and the appearance of cultured pearls on the market. Cultured pearls were not accepted immediately, it took several years for consumers and the industry to accept this new kind of pearl. Entrepreneurs intervened by stimulating
pearl production with a process called culturing.
Learn About Types of Pearls
For more information of the History of Pearls visit the American Museum of Natural History
Sources:
Pearls: A Natural History by Landman, Mikkelsen, Bieler and Bronson
Pearls by Fred Ward
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