| It is thought that earrings date back to 3000 BC | | | | across the whole of Europe. One of the most |
| where they originated in Asia andappeared in 2 | | | | popular designs of thosetimes were the very |
| formats, one being the simple hoop earring and | | | | large heavy pendant type earrings called |
| the other the moreelaborate pendant earring. | | | | girandoles which weregreat favourites of Queen |
| The oldest earrings ever found by archaeologists | | | | Victoria. These earrings required a substantial |
| were discovered in royal graves in | | | | amount ofprecious metals and gemstones and so |
| Iraq and date back to around 2500 BC. Gold, | | | | were very heavy, which meant that mostpeople |
| silver and bronze hoop earrings havealso been | | | | that wore them suffered from elongated |
| found dating back to 2000 BC in Crete. In those | | | | earlobes. |
| days it was customary tobury jewellery with the | | | | Although earrings were popular with wealthy |
| dead. | | | | people throughout the ages, they werealso |
| In 16th century in the New Kingdom of ancient | | | | popular with poorer people who adopted their |
| Egypt a type of earring called anearplug became | | | | own styles which were lesselaborate and made |
| fashionable and these fitted snugly into a wide | | | | from less expensive materials. |
| stretched hole in theearlobe. This type of piercing | | | | It wasn't until the 20th century that earrings were |
| is seen on the sculpture of Tutankhamen. | | | | completely revolutionised. |
| Poverty in the Dark ages meant that work with | | | | Different fittings appeared such as screw and clip |
| precious metals dwindled althoughsome goldsmiths | | | | on as well as those for piercedears and it also |
| preserved designs that were to later emerge in | | | | became the norm for women to wear earrings in |
| 7th century Greece. | | | | the day and notjust for special occasions. |
| The most popular earrings then were the pendant | | | | The 1960's marked a massive change for the |
| type and they often featureda bird or likenesses | | | | wearing ofearrings when designs became |
| of the gods Eros and Nike. | | | | completely unrestrained and it became common |
| In the 2nd century during the Roman Empire, | | | | tosee men also wearing earrings although most |
| earrings became a popular way forrich women to | | | | only usually wear one earring. Womenbegan to |
| show off their wealth and the use of precious | | | | collect earrings and with so many designs available |
| gemstones in thejewellery also became more | | | | the choices wereendless. |
| popular. | | | | Today the choice is even greater and the |
| During the Middle Ages, earrings became less | | | | popularity of earrings increases with manypeople |
| popular and practical due to thepopularity of | | | | now having more than one set of piercings in |
| elaborate hairstyles and headdresses. In fact for a | | | | which to display theirjewellery. Modern materials |
| time it wasconsidered immoral for respectable | | | | such as titanium and different types of plastics |
| married woman not to have their heads | | | | havealso become popular in the making of |
| coveredin public. | | | | earrings because of their lightness, |
| In 16th century Italy, hairstyles changed with hair | | | | designpossibilities and in the case of titanium |
| being swept away from the faceleaving ears | | | | because of its hypoallergenic qualities. |
| exposed although for another 100 years things | | | | There is now a never ending choice of different |
| stayed the same in | | | | types of earrings from moderntrendy cheap and |
| England, Spain and France with the wearing of high | | | | cheerful everyday earrings to the more |
| collars keeping earrings out offashion. | | | | expensive gold, silver orplatinum earrings inlaid with |
| By the 17th century, earrings became very | | | | diamonds and other precious gemstones. |
| fashionable accessory for the welldressed lady | | | | |