Did you know that pearls are the world’s oldest gem, dating back to before humans had written language? It’s no surprise that such an ancient jewel has accumulated a long list of stories, superstitions, and mystical interpretations. Although the world’s oldest found pearl goes back to the Neolithic period, 8000 thousand years ago, and was excavated on Marawah Island near Abu Dhabi, the first item of pearl ornamentation was found in the tomb of a Persian royal in 420 BC.
There is evidence that about 2300 BC, members of the royal family in what is now China sent pearls as gifts. Julius Caesar is said to have issued a regulation allowing only the power elite to wear pearls in the first century BC which is a clear sign of how humans have always valued pearls. With that being said, let’s go over some myths and facts about the world’s oldest gem.
Facts about pearls
The term “pearl” is derived from the Latin word “perne,” which means leg. Pearls are “organic gems” that form within mollusks including oysters, clams, and mussels. A shiny material called nacre starts to build inside a mollusk’s shell when a little particle or grain of sand goes inside. This gradually covers the irritant grain, smoothing it down and protecting the shellfish’s fragile inside tissues. A pearl is formed as the nacre layers get thicker; this can take up to almost a decade.
Pearls can be found in nature or they can be farmed. Cultivated pearls are the consequence of placing a small particle inside a mollusk on purpose to cause tissue irritation. While being the oldest gem, pearls are relatively delicate, with a Mohs hardness of 2.5 to 4.5, and can range in color from white to pale pink, brown, or black, depending on the shellfish type and the sort of water they live in.
Pearls are still regarded as gemstones, however, they are hard to compare to other stones like sapphires or diamonds. This is due to the fact that pearls are the only gemstones that come from a living organism, with all other gemstones being formed beneath the Earth’s crust. Natural pearls that are formed in oysters are an exceedingly rare gemstone when compared to pearls cultivated in laboratories. Pearls are found in less than one out of every 10,000 wild oysters. Overfishing has had a negative impact on the entire population of wild oysters, increasing the rarity of natural pearls even more.
Pearl myths and legends
For those who believe in symbolism, pearls represent the wisdom received through life’s experiences. This gemstone is the focus of countless stories and legends. Pearls are supposed to provide wealth, good fortune, and protection. The pearl also represents the wearer’s purity, compassion, integrity, and loyalty. They have a relaxing impact and can help you balance your karma, boost your relationships, and even protect your children. Pearl, sometimes regarded as “the queen of gems,” is the birthstone for June and the zodiac sign of Gemini. It’s the traditional gift for the first, third, 12th, and 30th wedding anniversaries.
Pearl myths exist in almost every culture, with the majority of them pertaining to love, beauty, and water. They are linked to dragons in an ancient Chinese legend, which claims that when dragons fight, pearls fall from the sky. Pearls were identified with Venus, the goddess of beauty and love in ancient Rome, since Venus, like a pearl, was born from the seas. Pearls were said to be generated by Aphrodite’s tears, the Grecian version of Venus, and that wearing pearls on your wedding day would prevent you from crying. Pearls were said to be generated by the tears of legendary water creatures such as mermaids in Japan.
Pearls are said to have been produced when a rainbow met the earth after a storm, according to Persian folklore. Thunder and lightning caused imperfections in the look of pearls. Pearls were so valuable to the ancient Egyptians that they were buried with them. Cleopatra, according to legend, melted a pearl from one of her earrings in a glass of wine and consumed it to demonstrate to Mark Anthony that she could eat the wealth of a whole population in one go.
Final thoughts
Despite the plethora of things that pearls are supposed to represent, the most frequently held interpretation today is that pearls are a symbol of the wearer’s purity and faithfulness. This is one of the reasons why more brides are choosing pearls for their wedding day. These gemstones are not only magnificent, but their symbolic value makes them perfect for the occasion.
