A Brief History of Earrings As a Jewellery Item

Earrings have a long and interesting history; ear-piercing is in fact a very ancient form of body modification, paintings have been discovered of soldiers wearing earrings during the Persian Empire.

It is believed that ear jewellery dates back to at least 3000 BC and were predominantly hoop or pendant in style. The oldest pair was discovered in Iraq and has been dated to 2500 BC. In those days, only members of the ruling and wealthy classes could afford gold but other less precious materials were also used. Jewellery and earrings in particular were much more than just an aesthetic adornment. Ear jewellery was clearly and indication of status, wealth or a symbol indicative of religious or political affiliation. However, in some cases particular specific designs and materials marked the wearer as belonging to the class of slaves.