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Ecclesiastical: Roman

Other gems, remarkable for their magnitude, were consecrated by engraving upon them the head of some particular deity. The most renowned monument of such a dedication--furnishing us, as it does, with a list of the contents of a wealthy Roman lady's jewel-box--is the inscription given by Montfaucon, cut upon the pedestal formerly supporting a statue of Isis, as is supposed, discovered at Alicante. It records that "by divine command Fabia Fabiana had dedicated in honour of her grand-daughter Avita, deceased, 112 1/2 lbs. of silver plate; also, ornaments in the diadem, one unio (a pearl of spherical shape, and vastly the more valuable) and six pearls, two emeralds, seven beryls, one carbuncle, one hyacinth, two rubies. In her ears, two emeralds, two pearls. On her neck, a quadruple row of thirty-six pearls, eighteen emeralds. In two circlets on her legs, two emeralds and eleven cylindri. In her bracelets, eight emeralds and eight pearls. On her little finger, two rings with diamonds; on the next finger, a little ring with gems, emeralds, and one pearl; on the top joint of the same finger, a ring with an emerald. Upon her shoes, eight cylindri."

The spread of Christianity produced a change in this, as in every other respect. When the heathen idols and temples were overthrown, churches and convents arose, and religion displayed itself with a magnificence unknown to idolatry. The goldsmiths and jewellers made their most beautiful objects for the church. Constantine the Great presented the most costly offerings to the Roman churches; and the manufacture of these rich articles, in which precious stones of the greatest rarity and beauty were profusely employed, did not diminish when he made Byzantium the seat of the Roman Empire. This monarch may be said to have been the especial protector and encourager of the jeweller's art.

In the reign of Clovis, King of the Franks (fifth century), we read that the bishops and abbots carried a gold cross, a gold cross, a gold mitre, and an episcopal ring, enriched with precious stones. The bones of the Christian saints were laid in golden reliquaries set with precious stones. The vessels of the altars were similarly costly. A gold chalice adorned with jewels, found at Gourdin, near Chalons-sur-Saone, in 1846, and now in the Museum of Antiquities in Paris, shows the great beauty and perfection of the jeweller's art at the commencement of the fifth century.

The name that ranks the highest among early gold and jewel artificers is that of St. Eloi, the minister of Dagobert I., King of France. This eminent ecclesiastic, born about the year 588, received the name of Eliguis (chosen by God), as a prognostic of his great destinies. He was apprenticed to a goldsmith named Abbon, at Limoges, who had the privilege of coining money for the town. He had (says St. Ouen, the biographer of Eloi) a genius for other things, and, after improving himself, he went to Normandy, and became acquainted with the treasurer of King Clotaire, named Bobbon. It was by the execution of a beautiful work of art that Eloi gained the favour of the king, after whose death he was retained at court by Dagobert, but in 631 founded a monastery, to which he retired, and taught the jeweller's art to the monks. He enriched with gold and precious stones the tombs of St. Martin of Tours and St. Denis. According to his biographer, the garments of St. Eloi were covered with gold and precious stones, his girdle was blazing with jewels, and his purse was ornamented with rare pearls. This ostentation, however, was in his early life. He died in 659, and was buried in a coffin of gold and silver. Wondrous miracles were performed at his tomb, which, like the shrine of Thomas a Becket in after ages, became a place of pilgrimage, and the depository of costly offerings, most of them enriched with precious jewels. The clerical costume of the seventh century may be seen in the church of Malmesbury, Wilts, in the figure of St. Peter. The date given by Fosbroke is 675. The work is Saxon. There are double keys in the right hand of St. Peter; book, with jewels, of the New Testament, in the left: there are also jewels on the border of the neck.

Pope Leo III., in the eighth century, was a munificent benefactor to the Church. Vessels of rich plate and jewels were profusely bestowed. He gave to the high altar of St. Peter a covering spangled with gold, enriched with precious stones.

Pope Paschal, early in the ninth century, was also a liberal dispenser of precious objects to various churches. A cross with golden emblems is mentioned as one gift, with representations of Our Saviour surrounded by archangels and apostles of wonderful beauty and richness, ornamented with pearls. He had also a robe worked with gold and gems, being the history of the virgins with lighted tapers.

The accounts of the rich embroidered vestments, robes, sandals, girdles, tunics, vests, palls, common in churches during the early ages, would almost surpass belief, but for the minuteness with which they are enumerated by old writers. Pearls and precious jewels were literally interwrought in garments. A satirical poem written soon after the Conquest describes the luxury of the monks under the idea of a monastery constructed of rich meats and costly gear:-- "Stonis preciuse and golde, Their is saphir, and vniune, Carbuncle and astiune, Smaragde, lugre, and prassiune, Beril, onix, topasiune, Ametiste and crisolite, Calcedun and epetite."