Accession numberPRHM-4901MeasurementsH19 x W12 x D10mmHistoryThe custom of piercing the ear and wearing earrings was practiced by men and women in ancient cultures including Persia, Greece and Egypt. The wearing of earrings went in and out of fashion throughout Europe in the Middle Ages and Renaissance but remained popular among sailors, as the gold could be used to pay for a Christian burial should they be washed overboard to their death.
Strict moral codes dominated the Victorian era, so pierced ears were considered vulgar. Screw-back and clip-on earrings were acceptable, until the trend for piercing re-emerged in the 1950s.