Over the years, earrings have undergone many changes—from simple studs to shoulder-dusting and mismatched styles. They have become an inevitable part of fashion.

Earrings have become a staple in many women’s wardrobes. But how did they get their start? Read on to learn more about the history of this type of jewelry!

These jewelry have been in use for 7000 years, and they were a part of daily life for men and women in many societies.

History of Earrings in the early period

Earrings have been around since at least 2600 B.C.E, when people predominantly made them out of gold, Carnelian and Lapis Kazuki in Sumerian culture—but it’s believed that Ancient peoples were also wearing them long before this period started.

In Asia, they were worn primarily by men. They served as a sign of wealth and power for people in higher classes.

In the Minoan civilization, people wore earrings made of gold and other precious metals. In Aegean culture, men liked to wear large hoop earrings.

In Ancient Rome, earrings were worn by slaves and prostitutes. Later the wealthy adopted this trend; pearls, topaz, garnet and sapphire gems adorned their ears. In those days, they were worn by slaves and prostitutes but also members of the wealthy class.

In the 1500s, this type of jewelry became fashionable among English people. At first, they were only worn by women and considered a feminine adornment but towards the end of that century, men began wearing them as well.

In Ancient India, Earrings were worn by Kings and Queens as a sign of wealth and power. Even famous literature is based on the story of a queen losing her earrings. From this, we can understand how important this jewelry was to the people of that society.

Middle Ages

During the 13th century, the Catholic Church banned ear piercing because they thought it was a sin that violated the image of God. To disobey this, only thieves and pirates wore earrings. They are also pierced for the only male child of the family or for the child who was born after the death of another child as a sign of protection.

In the 1900s, clip-on earrings were more popular than traditional ones, but people started to show more interest in ear piercing again.

History of other popular earrings

Studs are well-known for their uncomplicated look. These timeless stud earrings were famous in 1920. People believed that wearing studs would protect their aura. Diamond studs are always in style and blue diamond studs set in Sterling silver are quite popular. Chandelier earrings came from India and other Middle Eastern countries. These jewelry spread across the world during the British Colonialism era in India. King George was inspired by the Chandelier earrings and presented a pair to his wife and daughter. They were the most popular type.

During the Renaissance, women were fond of drop earrings made from yellow gold. They usually had a princess-cut diamond, which is a square-shaped diamond with a clean, geometric look.

These days, people are becoming more interested in diamond and emerald earrings – a trend that has been around for at least 500 years. It is believed that emeralds have curative properties for diseases such as malaria and cholera. This highlights the unique story associated with each earring.