any precious stone, or ornament befit with them. See DIAMOND, RUBY, &c.

Jewels made a part of the ornaments with which the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, especially their ladies of distinction, adorned themselves. So prodigious was the extravagance of the Roman ladies, in particular, that Pliny the elder says he saw Lollia Paulina with an equipage of this kind amounting, according to Dr Arbuthnot's calculation, to 324,916l. 13s. 4d. of our money. It is worthy of observation, that precious stones among the Romans and all the ancients were much scarcer, and consequently in higher esteem, than they are amongst us, since a commerce has been opened with the Indies.—The ancients did not know how to cut and polish them to much perfection; but coloured stones were not scarce, and they cut them very well either hollow or in relief.—When luxury had gained ground amongst them, the Romans hung pendants and pearls in their ears; and for this purpose the ears of both sexes were frequently bored. See EARS.