During the time that much of western Asia was united under the Parthian Empire, a vast network of overland and sea routes, popularly known as the ‘Silk Road’, linked the Mediterranean and the Near East with China and the Indian subcontinent. The goods which were moved along these routes included not only Chinese silk, which was in great demand as far west as Rome, but also glass, precious metals, ceramics, pearls, oils, perfumes, spices, animals, and foods as well as ideas and artistic traditions. Many of these routes passed through the Parthian Empire which meant that it could control this very profitable trade.

The Silk Road made the Parthians extremely wealthy. From the 1st century BC onwards the Romans began buying Chinese silk from the Parthians in ever increasing amounts. In fact the Romans spent so much money buying silk that the Senate issued several edicts which attempted, without success, to outlaw its use. As the Parthian trading cities became richer, their inhabitants spent much of their wealth on jewellery, buckles and pins. The Parthians were well-known lovers of jewellery and it was worn in profusion by both sexes. Possibly a tradition stemming from the nomadic origins of the Parthians, these items of portable wealth reflected the success and status of their owner.