ANTIQUITY OF THE PEARL
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also many of the " white bones " obtained by trade or looting. Whatever
the method by which they were introduced, pearls came into favor, and
the favor increased as they were brought with other jewels from the
looted treasuries of eastern potentates. The Macedonians established
fisheries in the Red Sea, where the Egyptians obtained their chief
supply, and the Romans later brought them also from the Arabian Sea.
Three
centuries B. C, the power of the Macedonians commenced to wane; Rome
began to rise and overrun the countries which had been subject to the
Macedonians; and pearls were thereby carried further west. The Romans
adopted the pearl as a jewel of the first importance if not the chief
of all, probably because they had found them so regarded by the older
royalties they plundered. As the riches of surrounding and far-off
countries which she raided, poured into the coffers of Rome, and the
city grew to be the centre of power and wealth, the excesses of the
rich became ludicrous to the verge of insanity. In their wild
extravagances the pearl was prominent.
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