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In the Middle Ages, the Christian Church ruled people's daily lives, and through religious teachings, pearls, this time white and round, became a symbol of perfection and purity. Biblical parallels then made them a symbol of the kingdom of heaven, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ himself. One such biblical parable speaks of Jerusalem and describes it as "12 gates like 12 pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the streets of the city were pure gold, transparent as glass" (Revelation of St. John, 21:21). Pearls played a major role on the covers of liturgical books made of precious metals and decorated with precious stones, and on the chalices for the holy wine (blood of Christ) at Masses. The crown jewels, which were meant to symbolize the divine power bestowed on kings, were richly decorated with pearls. In an elaborate 14th-century English poem entitled ``The Pearl,'' the author mourns the loss of his perfect pearl, which appeared to him in a dream as a young virgin and showed him the way to salvation and the kingdom of heaven.
Pearls as a symbol of spiritual and worldly power
Without a doubt, the church had the greatest use for pearls. Richly decorated vestments and liturgical objects still referred to the Byzantine tradition, where expensively decorated clothing and jewelry expressed a certain degree of social authority. In the same way, the crown jewels (crown, scepter and apple) and the dress of the monarch, decorated with gems and precious metals, were a symbol of the secular and divine power that he assumed during the coronation ceremony. This is well illustrated in the mosaics in the Church of Martorama in Palermo, Sicily, where King Roger II is depicted. at the coronation in 1130. On depictions of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus, we can often see these badges of heavenly power decorated with pearls in the hands of the baby Jesus. A fine example of crown jewels are the crown jewels of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire: the scepter and the apple come from the 10th and 11th centuries and are dominated by pearls, complemented by emeralds, rubies and sapphires. The crown covered with pearls shows Old Testament rulers such as King David or Solomon on enamel plates and, together with the pearls, demonstrates the concept of the empire as a divine institution.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Norman kings of Sicily ordered fabrics richly embroidered with gold threads and pearls from Arab craftsmen. One such example is the coronation mantle of Roger II, on the edge of which there is an Arabic inscription that dates it to 1133/1134. The cloak was worn by the Holy Roman Emperors and is now kept in the Weltliche Schatzkammern in Vienna. The embroidery includes a large number of precious pearls sewn with gold threads.
Imperial coronation items also include ornate pearl-encrusted ceremonial gloves made for the coronation of the Sicilian King Frederick of the Hohenstaufen II. Holy Roman Emperor in 1220.
In this period, English kings also wore brooches as a sign of belonging to the royal family and a symbol of nobility. The Wilton Diptych (1395 - 1399) depicts King Richard II. with a brooch in the shape of a white deer, made of the most valuable material of the time - gold covered with white enamel. The deer's antlers are decorated with pearls. Richard's crown and collar are also decorated with pearls. The king is shown here bowing to the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus.
The use of pearls on these objects reveals the method of obtaining and working with pearls. The pearls here are pierced through and attached to small gold wires or rods, which are held in place by a sort of gold cap or lid. The gold frames around the pearls have a purely decorative purpose. High quality pearls for such important items were imported from the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and Kanyakumari in India. Findings prove that pearls were already drilled in their place of origin and then exported, which may explain the way pearls from this period are mounted.
Due to the Crusades against Muslim armies and merchants taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them, the medieval period saw increased contact between the West and the East. As a port, Venice played an important role in the exchange of goods and was Europe's largest market for pearls from the Persian Gulf and India as well as a center for the artisans who worked with them. In 1340, the Florentine merchant Francesco Balducci Pegolotti noticed a huge quantity of pearls for sale in Venice. Here, cloth merchants bought small pearls suitable for embroidery, and jewelers bought strings of larger pearls. Venetian merchants distributed pearls throughout Europe and sold them in the markets of places where more goldsmiths were concentrated, such as Paris, Cologne, Bruges or Florence.
In addition to their symbolic value, pearls also had a practical meaning. Medieval lapidaries describe the magical and healing properties of pearls influencing the mind and destiny of people. It is evident that medieval culture perceived the difference between sea pearls and river pearls from European rivers. The Benedictine abbess Hildegard of Bingen (1098 - 1179), whose great interest was in the healing powers of plants and stones, describes the difference between pearls from polluted rivers, which were completely unsuitable for healing, and pearls from pure seawater. Among her recommendations is a sea pearl, which should be placed in water, where it will absorb impurities from the water, which should then be drunk as a medicine against fever. For headaches, the pearl should be warmed in the sun and then placed on the bed. In Spain, again, there is a recommendation that crushed pearls should be consumed to strengthen the heart.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, the cult of the Virgin Mary became dominant and pearls became a symbol of her purity. Phillippe de Thaon, an Anglo-Norman poet, wrote an allegorical poem about the Virgin Mary around 1121, where he uses comparisons to pearls and precious stones. Here he compares, for example, the oyster that swallowed a drop of dew and created a pearl to the Virgin Mary and her immaculate conception. Pearls can also often be seen on jewelry in paintings from the life of the Virgin Mary, where they emphasize her chastity and her role as the Mother of God. The Virgin Mary became a symbol of motherhood and was often the patron saint of women who implored her protection during childbirth. In the painting by Carlo Crivelli from the 15th century, the Virgin Mary wears a headdress of pearls and a ruby - here the pearls symbolize her purity, and the ruby is a sign of martyrdom and Christ's future sacrifice.
On crosses from that time, the figure of the crucified Christ is often replaced by precious stones that tell the story of his salvation: the pearls here represent Christ himself, the rubies and garnets are his blood, and the central sapphire represents heavenly grace.
Christians wore jewelry as a sign of their faith, often containing images of saints or even relics. An example is the reliquary pendant of St. of Ninian, said to have belonged to the Bishop of Galloway. The wooden cross embedded in gold is supposed to be a relic of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified, surrounded by pearls symbolizing the Savior. Elements that seem purely decorative to us today had a great symbolic meaning at the time of the jewelry's creation.
Pearls in wedding jewelry as a symbol of innocence
Pearls have the same meaning in the headdresses of medieval brides. During the Middle Ages, in various places pearls adorned the loose hair of the bride as a sign of her virginity. This is again an association with the Virgin Mary - the Queen of Heaven and the Bride of God, who is often depicted with a large ornate crown. The choice of gemstone here refers to the virtues of the Virgin Mary, and the pearl on the wedding crown symbolizes chastity. The tradition of wedding crowns has been maintained in Europe for many centuries in various social classes. An interesting fact is that in our conditions there are superstitions claiming that pearls are not suitable as wedding jewelry - they are supposed to symbolize the tears that the bride will shed in marriage.
In 1402, Princess Blanche, daughter of King Henry IV of England, married Elector Louis III. she received a beautiful crown for her wedding, which belonged to Queen Anne of England, the wife of King Richard II of England. (and daughter of the Czech king Charles IV and Elizabeth of Pomerania). The crown is dominated by tall stylized lilies, the main symbol of the Virgin Mary, which are a symbol of purity and chastity. Large clusters of pearls underline this message and again sapphires as a symbol of heavenly grace.
Jewelry has always expressed love, affection and loyalty - in life and after death - whether through engraving, pictures or gems. Jewelry given as an expression of love on the occasion of engagement often features a heart motif, joined hands, or even pictures of the couple. Diamonds represent the permanence of connection, rubies love and pearls purity. Flowers and other plants are other symbols: the evergreen myrtle, a flower dedicated to the goddess Venus, symbolizing eternal love, was made of green enamel with small pearls instead of white flowers. Daisies represent innocence and purity.
Pearls as a fashionable symbol of social status
In the course of the 13th and 14th centuries, European states grew rich and there was a boom in urbanization. To distinguish themselves from the "wealthy", the original nobility established strict rules regarding clothing and jewelry. However, enforcing them proved impossible. For example, in Frankfurt am Main in 1356 men and women of the bourgeoisie were forbidden to wear jewelry made of silver, gold, precious stones and pearls. Those who could not afford jewelry made of precious metals wore cheaper jewelry coated with silver or bronze with imitation precious stones. Imitation pearls have been produced from enamel since the 14th century.
Secular fashion jewelry often had a practical purpose, such as coat clips, brooches, belt clips, but could also be purely decorative. The materials used to make both jewelry and clothing reflected the social status and wealth of the wearer. Pearls were worn not only by members of the royal family and nobility, but also by knights and, in the late Middle Ages, by wealthy merchants. English records show that pearls varied greatly in price and were thus apparently available to the general public. Brooches and clasps were worn by men, women and children and were used to fasten underwear, becoming more ornate and elaborate. Belts and long belts that fell to the ground were often used to hang bags of valuables or pendants made of cloth or leather and precious metals. Only bands of gold, silver and enamel inlaid with pearls have survived to this day. The use of pearls emphasized the role of the belt as a protection of honesty and innocence.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, pearls became more affordable and fashionable among the ruling class. They not only decorated jewelry, but also men's clothing and women's dresses and headdresses. Large pearls with a perfect luster can be found in goldsmith's products belonging to the Dukes of Burgundy, one of the most powerful noble families in Europe, who boasted incredible wealth and were often patrons of artists. Among other things, their accounting records speak of huge sums spent on the purchase of pearls. Margaret of Bavaria (1363 - 1423), wife of King John I of Burgundy, is depicted in a brocade dress embroidered with pearls, pearls also decorate her necklace.
Even greater wealth can be seen in the painting of Mary of Burgundy (1457 - 1482), daughter of Charles the Brave, who was known for his art collections and passion for rubies, diamonds and pearls. Mary was a desirable bride who eventually married the future Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and became known as Mary the Rich. In the said painting, Mary is adorned with beautiful pearls lining a golden brocade dress and a giant pearl hanging from her necklace.
Pearls continued to be worn as luxury jewelry, for their religious significance as well as magical properties, but, as in ancient times, they were a sign of wealth and high social status. Kings and nobles became increasingly wealthy and a competition began for the largest and most expensive pearls. Next time we will look at how pearls fared in the Renaissance and Rococo periods. And in the meantime, you can purchase your own little symbol from our offer:
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