The jewels found in Herculaneum

It was October 24, 79 A.D. when suddenly Mount Vesuvius began erupting ash and lapilli, burying the roofs of houses in Pompeii, Stabia and Oplonti. Herculaneum located on the slopes of the volcano, on the other hand, was not initially hit by lapilli. But destroyed, only later, by a powerful pyroclastic flow that killed all its inhabitants in a single instant.

The tremendous eruption devastated the city of Herculaneum, covering houses, temples and the Herculaneumites with meters of volcanic material. Found only accidentally in 1738 during the excavation of a well.

The exceptional discovery of the city of Herculaneum has left to history an immense heritage, consisting not only of houses, paintings, statues, workshops and fixtures still perfectly preserved.

But also a great deal of jewelry, precious stones, cameos, pearls and gems that make us understand how Herculaneum was a wealthy city and the women who lived there loved luxury.

Herculaneum, in fact, because of its location on the slopes of Vesuvius and overlooking the sea was frequented and inhabited by noble families. It was the favorite destination of many ancient Romans, who came to Herculaneum to spend their vacations. A small but luxurious town, it followed the fashions of the time and was always up to date with the latest news.

The women of Herculaneum especially loved luxury, jewelry, and wore elaborate and sophisticated pieces. Jewelry they wore until the last day of their lives. When the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD erased their lives in an instant.

An eruption that buried everything, but was unable to erase the history and the lives of its inhabitants, as evidenced by the continuous finds that are being made.

Herculaneum jewelry worn to death

So much jewelry has been found in Herculaneum during excavation work. Many found inside the fornices, near the ancient beach of Herculaneum.

The 300 inhabitants who went to the vicinity of the sea in an attempt to save themselves from the eruption of Vesuvius, wore and carried with them the most precious objects, symbolizing not only economic but also emotional.

Emblematic was the discovery of a skeleton of a woman, referred to as the lady of the rings, who in her attempt to save herself took with her a pair of earrings, two bracelets, a purse of coins and wore two splendid gold rings with precious stones.

Or the case of the fugitive who was swept from behind by the suddenly arriving pyroclastic flow and who held in his hands a canvas bag with his most precious items.

Jewelry for the women and men of Herculaneum was everything, representing an economic bond, of ‘belonging and distinguishing.

Thanks to these findings, it has been possible to understand and learn about the history of the women and men who inhabited ancient Herculaneum.

The jewelry for the women of Herculaneum

The women of Herculaneum were noble and wealthy, loved luxury, jewelry and were attentive to the fashion of the time. They loved to wear the most exquisite objects made of gold, silver, coral and precious stones, often decorated with pearls and colored enamels.

In particular, they used earrings in the shape of a hook or hoop, or in the shape of animals such as snakes or birds.

They wore long necklaces made of pearls and twisted gold or silver threads, decorated with shells or medallions.

Bracelets but also rings made of gold, silver and bronze, often set with precious stones.

For the women of Herculaneum, jewelry represented not only a luxury but also a symbol of belonging to a family or social group. They wore them for any occasion but also in their normal everyday life.

Jewelry symbolizes social status and belief

Jewelry in Herculaneum was not only fashionable items but also had symbolic significance.

Necklaces, for example, could represent the social status of the woman wearing them, while rings could symbolize love or membership in a family or social group.

The material from which they were made also had a specific meaning.

Gold, for example, could be worn only by noble and high-ranking people, while silver by those who had become free from slavery, the so-called freedmen. Iron, on the other hand, only by slaves.

In short, jewelry in Herculaneum represented a symbol of distinction and belonging, but it was also often associated with religious and magical beliefs.

There was no shortage of earrings in the shape of snakes, an animal associated with the Roman goddess of fertility, or amulets depicting Venus, a symbol of fertility and good luck.

Cameos and stones engraved with other deities such as Salus, Nemesis and Genius.

Even children could wear jewelry, which was simpler but just as precious, since in addition to being made with gold threads, the items were also embellished with real beads.

This makes us understand how in ancient Herculaneum beliefs related to a particular deity or animal were strong. And its inhabitants expressed them by wearing the most precious jewelry.

Even today this tradition and love of jewelry remains. It is no coincidence that Herculaneum, along with other Vesuvian cities, is one of the leading cities in the world specializing in the production of precious cameos and jewelry. Appreciated not only in Campania cities but also in the rest of the World.