Hobbies And Interests
Items
Roman rings were worn before the knuckle, rather than after the knuckle. Roman men typically wore only one ring. According to Imagine, bracelets were usually worn in pairs, with one on each wrist. Pendants were worn as decoration, but may have also been considered as an amulet -- providing the wearer with protection. Brooches were worn by both male and female Romans, as they had an added practical purpose of securing cloaks and tunics.
Design
Popular imagery incorporated into Roman jewelry includes hanging fruit and vines, wreaths and wheels. Designers also frequently included animals such as snakes, hares, hounds, birds, horses and fish. Many of these animals had symbolic importance for Romans. For example, eagles were associated with the Roman god, Jupiter. According to the Roman Colosseum website, gold coins -- known as aurei -- were often made into jewelry. Roman artisans were unafraid of incorporating daring -- think winged phalluses -- abstract designs into their works.
Gemstones
Many Roman items of jewelry featured gemstones such as pearls and emeralds as their centerpiece. Other items used semi-precious stones such as jasper, carnelian or chalcedony. Stones engraved with an image were known as "intaglio" and could be used as a seal for documents by pressing the image into a piece of wax. Amber and glass were also used in Roman jewelry.
Metals
Roman jewelry was almost exclusively made from metals such as bronze, though examples exist of jewelry made from jet, glass, shale, silver and gold. According to Imagine, most Roman bracelets were made from a copper alloy. Strands of metal were sometimes twisted together to form a popular item known as a cable bracelet. While items such as brooches and rings were made from metal, they would often also feature colored pieces of enamel in their design.