| The 4000 Year History of Pearls |
Pearls have been prized and collected for more than 4000
years, making them the “the world's oldest gem”.
The Earliest History of Pearls:
Many cultures throughout history have long treasured and highly
valued Pearls. Back as far as 2300 BC, Chinese records indicate that
pearls were gifts and prized possessions to, and of, royalty. In India,
ancient Hindu texts continuously refer to pearls, stating that the god
Krishna discovered the first pearl. In ancient Egypt, as far back as
4000 BC mother-of-pearl was used for decorative purposes, although
the use of actual pearls did not come until perhaps the 5th century BC.
years, making them the “the world's oldest gem”.
The Earliest History of Pearls:
Many cultures throughout history have long treasured and highly
valued Pearls. Back as far as 2300 BC, Chinese records indicate that
pearls were gifts and prized possessions to, and of, royalty. In India,
ancient Hindu texts continuously refer to pearls, stating that the god
Krishna discovered the first pearl. In ancient Egypt, as far back as
4000 BC mother-of-pearl was used for decorative purposes, although
the use of actual pearls did not come until perhaps the 5th century BC.
Welcome to
The House of Pearls
 |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Shop Jewelry Types |
| Shop Pearl Types |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Education Center |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Information |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Pearls During Roman Times:
Pearls, in ancient Rome, were a highly prized accessory, worn as a symbol of wealth and prestige. They were
such a status symbol, that there was actually an effort made to prohibit the wearing of pearls by those not
deserving of them. Perhaps the most celebrated incident in Roman history involving pearls had to do with a
feast given by Cleopatra, the last Egyptian queen, for the Roman leader Marc Antony. The feast was
described by Pliny the Elder, the Roman historian in his book, “Natural History”. Although some current
historians dispute the details and significance of the feast, there is general agreement that indeed the incident
described took place. The gist of the story is that Cleopatra bet Marc Antony that she could give the most
expensive meal ever provided. When the only thing placed in front of her was a goblet of sour wine (i.e.,
vinegar), Antony wondered how she would be able to win the bet. Whereupon Cleopatra removed one of her
pearl earrings -- said by Pliny to have been worth 10 million sesterces, the equivalent of thousands of pounds of
gold and dropped it into the vinegar. The pearl dissolved in the strongly acidic solution, and Cleopatra drank it
down, winning her wager.
Pearls in Grecian Times:
The ancient Greeks highly valued pearls also, using them especially at weddings, where they were said to bring
love. With many natural beds of oysters lying along the Persian Gulf, the Arab cultures also placed high value
on the pearls, which are the Koran described as one of the greatest treasures provided in Paradise.
Modern History of Pearls:
Native Americans, in the Western Hemisphere, also valued the freshwater pearls they had discovered and
harvested from lakes and rivers. There is a story told of a Native American princess, who presented gifts of
animal skins, cloth, copper and freshwater pearls to Hernando de Soto. Colonizers from France, Spain and
England all found native Indian tribes using pearls as jewelry as well as for trade. Once the colonial powers
discovered the sheer volume of pearls available in America's rivers, pearls became one of the chief products
sent from the colonies back to Europe. Saltwater pearls, from the Caribbean and along the coasts of Central
and South America along with freshwater pearls from North American rivers, were harvested. All of these
pearl supplies began to dry up during the 19th century, however, as a result of over fishing and the pollution
caused by industrialization.
The History of North American Pearls:
The English colonizers along North America's Atlantic coast and French explorers to the north and west, all
found native Americans wearing pearls, and they discovered freshwater pearls in the Ohio, Mississippi, and
Tennessee River basins. So many gems were exported to Europe that the New World quickly gained the
appellation "Land of Pearls."
What is now the United States became famous for two products. Its best freshwater pearls fueled a ready
market overseas, purchased by people who, unlike the then less sophisticated frontier Americans, knew the
rarity and value of large, round, lustrous pearls. Many of the best examples made their way into Europe's royal
gem collections, where they can still be seen on display, usually misidentified as saltwater pearls from the
Orient. In addition to the pearls themselves, American mother-of-pearl also became a major export, from both
the North American colonies as well as later, from the United States. The primary use of mother-of-pearl was
to make shiny, iridescent clothing buttons, billions of which were exported all over the world (from Iowa
mainly). This lasted all the way through the mid-20th century. Then, the invention of plastics quickly replaced
mother-of-pearl for this use. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the history of pearls reached a major turning
point. Around that time, a number of independent Japanese researchers had discovered the techniques that
could be used to cause oysters to essentially create pearls "on demand."
The Effect of Pearl Culturing on Today’s Pearls:
The man who finally combined the various technical processes with business savvy and worldwide marketing
know-how, was the son of a restaurateur, Kokichi Mikimoto. Today, Mikimoto is credited almost with single-
handedly having created the worldwide cultured pearl industry. The effect on the pearl industry of the
discovery of pearl culturing, together with Kokichi Mikimoto's marketing know-how and enthusiasm, cannot be
understated. In a span of less than 50 years, thousands of years of pearl history were rewritten, at the
beginning of the 20th century. Pearls which were historically the possessions, exclusively, of royalty and
aristocracy became available to virtually everyone on the planet. Rather than pearl divers hunting, in vain, for
the often elusive, naturally formed pearls, the pearl farmers could now cultivate pearls by the thousands in
virtually the same way as a wheat or corn farmer grows his own crop. And pearl lovers throughout the world
could reap the benefits.
Pearls, in ancient Rome, were a highly prized accessory, worn as a symbol of wealth and prestige. They were
such a status symbol, that there was actually an effort made to prohibit the wearing of pearls by those not
deserving of them. Perhaps the most celebrated incident in Roman history involving pearls had to do with a
feast given by Cleopatra, the last Egyptian queen, for the Roman leader Marc Antony. The feast was
described by Pliny the Elder, the Roman historian in his book, “Natural History”. Although some current
historians dispute the details and significance of the feast, there is general agreement that indeed the incident
described took place. The gist of the story is that Cleopatra bet Marc Antony that she could give the most
expensive meal ever provided. When the only thing placed in front of her was a goblet of sour wine (i.e.,
vinegar), Antony wondered how she would be able to win the bet. Whereupon Cleopatra removed one of her
pearl earrings -- said by Pliny to have been worth 10 million sesterces, the equivalent of thousands of pounds of
gold and dropped it into the vinegar. The pearl dissolved in the strongly acidic solution, and Cleopatra drank it
down, winning her wager.
Pearls in Grecian Times:
The ancient Greeks highly valued pearls also, using them especially at weddings, where they were said to bring
love. With many natural beds of oysters lying along the Persian Gulf, the Arab cultures also placed high value
on the pearls, which are the Koran described as one of the greatest treasures provided in Paradise.
Modern History of Pearls:
Native Americans, in the Western Hemisphere, also valued the freshwater pearls they had discovered and
harvested from lakes and rivers. There is a story told of a Native American princess, who presented gifts of
animal skins, cloth, copper and freshwater pearls to Hernando de Soto. Colonizers from France, Spain and
England all found native Indian tribes using pearls as jewelry as well as for trade. Once the colonial powers
discovered the sheer volume of pearls available in America's rivers, pearls became one of the chief products
sent from the colonies back to Europe. Saltwater pearls, from the Caribbean and along the coasts of Central
and South America along with freshwater pearls from North American rivers, were harvested. All of these
pearl supplies began to dry up during the 19th century, however, as a result of over fishing and the pollution
caused by industrialization.
The History of North American Pearls:
The English colonizers along North America's Atlantic coast and French explorers to the north and west, all
found native Americans wearing pearls, and they discovered freshwater pearls in the Ohio, Mississippi, and
Tennessee River basins. So many gems were exported to Europe that the New World quickly gained the
appellation "Land of Pearls."
What is now the United States became famous for two products. Its best freshwater pearls fueled a ready
market overseas, purchased by people who, unlike the then less sophisticated frontier Americans, knew the
rarity and value of large, round, lustrous pearls. Many of the best examples made their way into Europe's royal
gem collections, where they can still be seen on display, usually misidentified as saltwater pearls from the
Orient. In addition to the pearls themselves, American mother-of-pearl also became a major export, from both
the North American colonies as well as later, from the United States. The primary use of mother-of-pearl was
to make shiny, iridescent clothing buttons, billions of which were exported all over the world (from Iowa
mainly). This lasted all the way through the mid-20th century. Then, the invention of plastics quickly replaced
mother-of-pearl for this use. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the history of pearls reached a major turning
point. Around that time, a number of independent Japanese researchers had discovered the techniques that
could be used to cause oysters to essentially create pearls "on demand."
The Effect of Pearl Culturing on Today’s Pearls:
The man who finally combined the various technical processes with business savvy and worldwide marketing
know-how, was the son of a restaurateur, Kokichi Mikimoto. Today, Mikimoto is credited almost with single-
handedly having created the worldwide cultured pearl industry. The effect on the pearl industry of the
discovery of pearl culturing, together with Kokichi Mikimoto's marketing know-how and enthusiasm, cannot be
understated. In a span of less than 50 years, thousands of years of pearl history were rewritten, at the
beginning of the 20th century. Pearls which were historically the possessions, exclusively, of royalty and
aristocracy became available to virtually everyone on the planet. Rather than pearl divers hunting, in vain, for
the often elusive, naturally formed pearls, the pearl farmers could now cultivate pearls by the thousands in
virtually the same way as a wheat or corn farmer grows his own crop. And pearl lovers throughout the world
could reap the benefits.
| Join Our Mailing List Advance sale notifications and discounts are only available to our customers and subscribers. Please enter your email address below and press submit. Your privacy is guaranteed! |
| 1200 East Main St. | Suite 141 | Palmyra, PA 17078 Toll Free 1-800-000-0000 | International 1-717-889-1040 Monday to Friday ~ 9AM to 5 PM EST ©Copyright 2009 The House of Pearls. All rights reserved. |
| 1200 East Main St. | Suite 141 | Palmyra, PA 17078 Toll Free 1-800-000-0000 | International 1-717-889-1040 Monday to Friday ~ 9AM to 5 PM EST ©Copyright 2009 The House of Pearls. All rights reserved. |
VERIFIED
VERIFIED
| 1200 East Main St. | Suite 141 | Palmyra, PA 17078 Toll Free 1-877-PEARLS-8 (1-877-732-7578) International 1-717-889-1040 Monday to Friday ~ 9AM to 5 PM EST ©Copyright 2009 The House of Pearls. All rights reserved. |
| 50% Off Limited Quantities |