Junyi Wu, College of the Holy Cross, Class of 2026

Composed of precious sapphires, amethysts, emeralds, and pearls, this necklace is truly a “luxury art,” created by the hands of master artisans. It is no wonder that the Emperor Justinian I wished to have such gem-studded jewelry reserved for imperial use.  Precious gems symbolized the identities of the elite and could serve as fine imperial presents. 
Though the old Republic of Rome might have condemned luxury art, with the fall of the western Roman Empire in 476 CE and the continuance of the eastern Roman Empire (which we know as the Byzantine Empire), official opinions about luxury art changed.  Under the Byzantines, luxury art was regarded as a gift and sign from the divine Christian God of the elite status of rulers. What's more, because gems and other luxuries visually signposted who was elite, the import and export of luxury and precious materials was strictly regulated.

A necklace like this was beyond the world of the ordinary citizen. Yet we should not imagine it as just an object sitting idle and aloof in a Byzantine palace. It was doubtless treasured for its striking and beautiful appearance, but its creation was also driven by a desire for display, expressing the superiority of the ruling class to the lower classes and as well as asserting higher status within the elites.