Cochise College Student Papers in Geology
Geology Home Page physical geology historical geology planetary gems
Roger Weller, geology instructor
wellerr@cochise.edu
Turquoise
by Kayla Young
Physical Geology
Spring 2012
History of Turquoise
It is quite common to see turquoise in multiple kinds of Native American
hand-made jewelry. The jewelry crafters really know how to show off its
beautiful blue colored stones in the most appeasing way. They are quite unique,
each having different markings or designs imbedded in the stone itself. Not only
has it been used in modern jewelry today, but it has also been utilized
thousands of years ago! Where does it come from? When did it become a popular
gemstone and what was it used for? Through thorough research, these questions
will be answered.
Turquoise is hydrous phosphate of aluminum and copper, Al 2 (OH) 3 PO 4 ·H 2
O+Cu, used as a gemstone. Its hardness is 5-6 and its luster is opaque and waxy.
The gemstone colors vary from greenish gray to sky-blue; sky-blue being of the
most value. Its permeability makes it easy to absorb grease and dirt which can
make it a very unattractive green. The best turquoise specimens are found
throughout Iran, Sinai Peninsula, and the south western states (Arizona,
California, Colorado, and New Mexico.)
Images listed from least valued to highest valued turquoise.
http://www.shopgemstones.com/turquoise.html
How is turquoise formed?
Turquoise is a secondary mineral that forms as a result of saturating acidic
solutions during the weathering and oxidation of pre-existing minerals. It is
formed by the separation of meteoric groundwater through aluminous rock in the
presence of copper (US Department of the Interior, 2002, pg 1). It is found as
an opaque deposit in nodules, or veins within host rocks, or as thin crusts on
the surface of rocks. Veins will vary in composition based on the materials from
the rock they intrude. Turquoise deposits are often found around copper mines
like the one in Bisbee, Arizona. Below is an example of a turquoise vein running
through an igneous rock located in Bisbee.
“Bisbee Blue” photo credit: R. Weller/Cochise College
http://skywalker.cochise.edu/wellerr/students/turquoise-wilson/project_files/image002.jpg
Most turquoise contains varieties of brown or black matrixes which are the
streaks or veins seen in the polished stones. Matrixes are fragments of the rock
that the turquoise intruded therefore leaving pieces of itself in the gemstone.
In the United States and China, these streaks are considered to be beautiful
whereas other places in the world, like the Middle East, believe they are
imperfections and actually devalue the stone.
Photo credit: Roger Weller/Cochise College
History of
Turquoise in Egypt
Turquoise is one of the first known gemstones known to man and has been mined,
traded, and used for thousands of years. Egyptian turquoise was first found in
Egypt well over 7,500 years ago. It was highly coveted by the Egyptians to be a
sacred stone with supernatural powers. It was used by healers and worn by kings
and pharaohs. King Nebkeperura Tutankhamun, or “King Tut”, the most famous of
pharaohs, was buried in a coffin made up of pure gold, turquoise, lapis,
carnelian, onyx, and colored glass. Inside many royal tombs, the priceless
gemstone would be found along with kings and queens in hopes of bringing it
along with them to the afterlife. Turquoise was popular amongst the Egyptians
because it was associated to Hathor, the goddess of love, motherhood, joy, and
music.
Four turquoise bracelets were found on the mummified arm of Queen Zar, which are
dated back to the second ruler of Egypt’s First Dynasty around 5,500 B.C. Sinai,
Egypt was inhabited by the Monitu and was called Mafkat or “Country of
Turquoise” because it was so plentiful in the land. Archeologists have recorded
that the Egyptians were mining turquoise at Serebit al-Khadim on the Sinai
Peninsula in 3000 B.C. (Durango Silver Company, pg1).
History of
Turquoise in Persia
For a long time, turquoise from Persia was said to be the finest, having rich
“Robin’s egg” blue color. Persian turquoise is found throughout Iran’s
northeastern city of Neyshabur, located near the city of Mashhad in Khorasan
Razavi Province and dates back to 4,000 B.C. There were many superstitions about
the stone like its ability to bring good luck or health to the person carrying
it. Persians believed that the reflection of a new moon on the stone’s surface
could bring luck as well as guard against evil. As far as medical use, the
Persians believed that looking at the stone could improve one’s eyesight so
placing it on an inflamed eye was considered to be the cure. They also believed
that a visual change in a turquoise owner’s stone could determine their health.
At a time of illness or death, the stone would turn pale. As soon as it was
placed in a new owner’s hand, the stone would return to its original beautiful
color.
Turquoise was also used for decorating numerous things ranging from turbans to
bridles. The Persians created mosaics, inlays and overlays that have embellished
several monuments over the centuries. Because the Persian style of turquoise was
so popular and coveted, it started being shipped all over the world. In fact,
turquoise is thought to mean "Turkish stone", a reference to the long history of
imports of Persian turquoise, through Turkey, to the West (Boston Bead Company,
pg1).
History of
Turquoise in the Americas
In the Americas, many tribes like the Pueblos, Navajos, Aztecs, Zunis and Mayans
valued turquoise for its numerous uses. An extremely organized trade system for
turquoise was established between the cultural provinces of southwestern America
and the cultural centers of Central and South America. The tribes considered
turquoise to be a very important trading item and it provided a means of
communication between the various societies. The ancient tribes imbedded the
gemstones into masks that they would use in religious and tribal ceremonies.
They were also used for medical purposes. The Anasazi Indians as well as other
tribes believed that the stone had supernatural powers and was capable of
bringing good health, happiness and fortune to the bearer of the stone. As well
as being used for trade and medicine, jewelry like beads for necklaces, crowns,
and bracelets were also made from the Indian turquoise.
In North America, the tribe of the Anasazi Indians mined and hunted as early as
200 B.C. in areas all around Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. The most
successful area having the finest turquoise deposits was the Cerrillos mine in
New Mexico. Around 1000 A.D., the people of western Mexico discovered how to
work with metals and began trading their metal items for turquoise with the
Hohokam and Anasazi. There was a demand for turquoise for a while, but around
1100 A.D. a civil war demolished the Toltec Empire and the production and
trading to the Toltecs ended. This brought an end to trading between North
America and Mexico.
Turquoise remained close and treasured by the Indian tribes although
trading was not occurring as often as the olden days. Southwestern Indians dove
into the jewelry industry in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. When the
Europeans brought technology of working metals like silver with them to the New
World, the American Indians began combining turquoise with silver to make their
own distinct style of jewelry. The turquoise industry has endured spurts of high
demand throughout the years and is getting harder to come by in the United
States since the decline of copper mining. Native Americans still sell their
hand-made turquoise jewelry throughout Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada,
and California.
Works Cited
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/gemstones/sp14-95/turquoise.html
http://www.durangosilver.com/ancient-turquoise-history.html
http://www.durangosilver.com/egyptian-turquoise.html
http://www.shopgemstones.com/gemstoneimages/turquoise-small-pale.jpg
http://www.shopgemstones.com/gemstoneimages/turquoise-small-green.jpg
http://www.shopgemstones.com/gemstoneimages/turquoise-small-pale.jpg
http://www.shopgemstones.com/gemstoneimages/turquoise-small-persian.jpg
http://skywalker.cochise.edu/wellerr/students/turquoise-wilson/project_files/image002.jpg
http://skywalker.cochise.edu/wellerr/mingem/gemtl/turquoise/6turquoise-nevada6265.JPG
http://skywalker.cochise.edu/wellerr/mingem/gemtl/turquoise/6yy-turquoise-bisbee3.jpg
http://skywalker.cochise.edu/wellerr/mingem/gemtl/turquoise/6turquoise-chinese6242.JPG
http://www.bostonbeadcompany.com/beadopedia/beads/turquoise.htm
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_isUvlzkZPIQ/TCxDnW00nvI/AAAAAAAAGjc/AiH8qFg9abE/s1600/king-tut-luxor.jpg
http://images.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2010/02/king-tut.jpg
http://www.gemsociety.org/info/gems/turquoise.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turquoise
http://www.irpedia.com/iran/best/1431/
http://www.fotothing.com/photos/70b/70b7cdec71c98c424c2832a7611f892f.jpg
http://www.cooljools.com/IMAGES7/ClevelandEagleCuff.jpg
http://www.navajopawn.com/sitebuilder/images/BB2007_b-228x228.jpg
