THE PEARL
Canterbury,
about 1094, and Scotch pearls were not only in demand in Britain but on
the continent also as early as the twelfth century. In 1355, the
Parisian goldsmiths forbade by statute, workers in gold and silver to
set Scotch pearls with the Oriental.
The
Oriental pearl probably came into Europe first from Egypt through the
incursions of the Macedonians into that country. Later, when Alexander
overran Persia his followers doubtless became yet more familiar with
the gem, for they spread through Arabia and the Persian Gulf where
ancient fisheries also existed.
Pearls
were not well known west and north of Asia and Africa at this time, for
a writer of Mytilene in the island of Lesbos, about 350 B. C, which was
but a few years before Alexander's conquest of Persia, says: "In the
Indian Sea, off the coasts of Armenia, Persia, Susiana and Babylonia, a
fish like an oyster is Caught, from the flesh of which men pick out
white bones called by them 'pearls'." This would indicate that
knowledge of them was being carried at that time by returning soldiers,
camp-followers and travellers, and these men probably brought
so
