Birthstones - May

The birthstone for May is emerald.

 Nola became intrigued by the history of emeralds.

The earliest known emerald (beryl) mine is at Wadi Sikait (Jabal Sukayt) in Egypt, near the Red Sea until the end of the Roman Empire. This whole area, including Wadi Gamal nearby, was a huge mining complex in Roman times.








The Romans loved emeralds. No well-dressed young woman of means was without her emerald jewellery and this area was the only source. Pliny described Lollia Paulina, the partner of the emperor Caligula, as "covered with emeralds and pearls interlaced and shining over her head, hair, ears, neck and fingers, the sum total amounting to the value of 40,000,000 sesterces" To put that into context, a soldier was being paid 33,000 sesterces a year.


You can see more about Nola's discoveries on her blog.