The Evolution of the Earring

Mike Levine

Earrings are interesting fashion accessories that look pretty and showcase our unique styles  with vibrant gemstones and precious metals.

Pre-Biblical Origins
Otzi the Iceman, from the Otztal area of the alps between Austria and Italy, is Europe’s oldest known preserved human and earring wearer, dating back 5,300 years. Frozen until 1991, Otzi has provided archaeologists a vast plethora of information on how mankind lived, including the fact that he had pierced ears. His apparently stretched-looking holes were pretty sizeable, maybe indicating a “heavy” fashion statement of some sort!

Biblical Earring Folklore
We’d be guessing at the exact moment in time when someone first decided to adorn an earring with a stone, shell or other tidbit. But we do have biblical proof that the custom of wearing earrings has been popular for centuries. In Exodus, the crowd is said to have taken off their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron to create the golden calf idol. Many versions of the bible include both men and women in the mix, “wives, sons and daughters” all wearing earrings it seems.

Egyptian Earrings
The British Museum shows us earrings worn on both Egyptian men and women dating back to the 19th dynasty (1200-1186 BC). The practice of wearing earrings indicated wealth and upper class. Fast forward a bit to Ancient Rome when the trend seemed to switch to slaves in earrings. By the first half of the 20th century, while clip-on styles were acceptable pierced ears had a negative connotation. Finally, by the second half of the 20th century, an overall popularity became widespread. Today, women and many men sport pierced earrings not only in their earlobes, but also other parts of the ear and body.

Earring Trivia

  • A King Tut death mask (1341-1323) contains earring boreholes
  • Middle Age sailors were thought to wear earrings to help ensure a Christian burial in case of shipwreck
  • Shakespeare is depicted wearing an earring in various portraits
  • 18th century women may not have worn earrings since they wore big bonnets instead
  • In early 19th century, updo hairstyles brought earrings back into style
  • The practice of wearing earrings was thought vulgar in the later Victorian era

Friends, Romans, and Countryman: Lend us your ears— so David Craig Jewelers can adorn you in today’s latest studs, threaders, chandeliers, hoops, dangles and cluster earrings. Call today with your questions or stop in and check out our earring selection at 10 Summit Square Shopping Center, Langhorne, PA 19047.

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