Talisman: Earrings became ritualistic for some. Some tribes wore them to prevent demons from entering their mind through the ears. At one point, Persian soldiers even considered earrings a powerful protection charm and they’d wear one into battle. Fashion icon: Around 200 AD, it became an international sensation to wear gems as fashionable earpieces. In the years after, religions began banning earrings because they saw piercing as kind of a bodily blasphemy (clip-ons had a few centuries to be invented). It’s no surprise that during that same era, thieves wore them as a devil-may-care act of rebellion. Basically, when it came to this type of jewelry, you were either pious or a pirate. Though sailors would also wear earrings to pay for their burial if they washed on shore (some engraving their home port). Earrings then came and went — between the hairstyles, hats, and high collars of the Middle Ages, for example, this jewelry placement was made irrelevant. Since earrings couldn’t be seen, brooches and lockets took their place as the popular alternative. When up-dos came back around, so did earrings. The personal expression that exploded from the free love era of the 1960’s made earrings a more permanent fixture in fashion.

Europe’s oldest man was found with pierced ears, and while it’s safe to say earrings have always been a symbol of expression, the meaning has changed over time. Here’s a bit of the jewelry’s journey, from Caesar to Shakespeare. Status symbol: Starting around 3,000 BC, earrings were worn in the Middle East to indicate the wearer’s religious or political beliefs, and sometimes their social class depending on the cultural views in the area. Talisman: Earrings became ritualistic for some. Some tribes wore them to prevent demons from entering their mind through the ears. At one point, Persian soldiers even considered earrings a powerful protection charm and they’d wear one into battle. Fashion icon: Around 200 AD, it became an international sensation to wear gems as fashionable earpieces. In the years after, religions began banning earrings because they saw piercing as kind of a bodily blasphemy (clip-ons had a few centuries to be invented). It’s no surprise that during that same era, thieves wore them as a devil-may-care act of rebellion. Basically, when it came to this type of jewelry, you were either pious or a pirate. Though sailors would also wear earrings to pay for their burial if they washed on shore (some engraving their home port). Earrings then came and went — between the hairstyles, hats, and high collars of the Middle Ages, for example, this jewelry placement was made irrelevant. Since earrings couldn’t be seen, brooches and lockets took their place as the popular alternative. When up-dos came back around, so did earrings. The personal expression that exploded from the free love era of the 1960’s made earrings a more permanent fixture in fashion. These days, earrings have become less of a status symbol. Yes, some gemstones are still valued more than others. But for the most part, jewelry is no longer a power play. It’s about pure style (And sometimes romance. And cherished family heirlooms. Okay, there’s a couple other things. But you can decide what your jewelry means to you).

Knowing the types of earrings can help you save time shopping. You’ll know what look, feel, and placement you’re trying to achieve (and if you don’t, you’ll gain the knowledge to refine your taste). When you’re ready to find that new favorite, shop all earrings at Brilliant Earth for ethical, one-of-a-kind pieces.