gems, gem trade, history of gems in Europe, pearl, pearls, Indian lapidary

In the latter half of the first century BCE, the conclusion of the Civil Wars and the unification of the Mediterranean under Roman State control brought stability, enabling increased capital investment and profits. This period saw a general rise in wealth, coupled with a growing demand for luxury goods, which catalyzed Rome’s involvement in Indian Ocean trade. The surge in wealth is evident in archaeological finds, such as mosaics from Pompeii, including one from a household in Insula VI.15.14 depicting a matron adorned with a gold and pearl necklace and pearl earrings. Luxury and Eastern goods also became deeply integrated into early imperial literature and Golden Age poetry, particularly in love elegies.