Gemstones in History

The desire for jewelry and beautiful objects is one we share with our earliest ancestors. Our rings, lucky charms and royal regalia reflect a tradition of self adornment and magic and rituals which have been around for thousands of years. The oldest jewelry comes from graves perhaps 20,000 years old, and consists of shell, bone, and ivory necklaces. We do not know what significance these objects held for their owners, but in later ages gemstones have been used as symbols of divine and earthly power, to display wealth and status, and to protect the wearer.