Occurrence:
Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan,
Eastern Australia, Tibet, Israel, Tanzania, Southwestern U.S..
Appearance:
Sky blue to bluish green.
The name means "Turkish stone". Turquoise is porous, so contact with liquids,
oils or even perspiration should be avoided. Jewelry made with turquoise
should be removed before washing hands, etc.. The pure blue color is rare,
most stones contain the matrix from which it was found. Although the stones
without matrix are rarer and more valuable, many people find the black
matrix attractive, and makes the stone unique.
Something
Extra:
Turquoise has been valued
throughout history for its beautiful color which ranges from Green to Blue
with pure Blue being the most expensive. It was used by the Pharaohs as
early as 1000 B.C. for ornamentation. Turquoise amulets adorned horse bridles
because it was believed to keep the animals surefooted. In ancient Native
American lore, the Blue of Turquoise was thought to represent the sky and
atmosphere above Mother Earth. Thus Turquoise was connected to the breath
of life. Turquoise is considered a balancing and healing source of energy.
Turquoise is one of the
oldest known gem materials. The Egyptians were mining turquoise in 3,200
BC in the Sinai. The
blue of turquoise was thought to have powerful metaphysical properties
by
many ancient cultures.
Montezuma's treasure, now displayed in the British Museum, includes a
fantastic carved serpent
covered by a mosaic of turquoise. In ancient Mexico, turquoise was
reserved for the gods,
it would not be worn by mere mortals.
The Apache believed that
turquoise helped warriors and hunters to aim accurately. The Zuni beleved
that it protected them
from demons. In Asia it was considered protection against the evil eye.
Tibetans carved turquoise
into ritual objects as well as wearing it in traditional jewelry. Ancient
manuscripts from Persia,
India, Afghanstan, and Arabia report that the health of a person wearing
turquoise can be assessed
by variations in the color of the stone. Turquoise was also thought to
promote prosperity.