Diamonds of the Sea

American Museun of Natural History: Pearls

Throughout history, the pearl, with its warm inner glow and shimmering iridescence has been one of the oldest know, most highly valued and sought after gems. Countless references to the pearl can be found in religions and mythology of many cultures from the earliest times when it was first discovered while man was searching the seashore for food.A fragment of the oldest known pearl jewelry, found in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess who died in 520 BC, is displayed at the Louvre in Paris. The ancients believed pearls were a symbol of the moon and had magical powers. The Latin word for pearl literally means "unique", attesting to the fact that no two pearls are identical.