gems, ancient jewelry, Greece, Greek, Roman, Islamic jewelry, Arabic mineralogy, glyptic, Egypt, Persia, Iran, Syria, Morocco, Mughal jewelry, jade, nephrite

The magnificent holdings of Islamic jewellery in the Khalili Collection are more comprehensive than any other published collection. This two-part volume includes virtually every form of personal adornment – head, hair and headdress ornaments; earrings; nose rings; pendants; beads; necklaces; bracelets, armlets and anklets; armband elements; amulets and amulet cases; pins and brooches; buttons; belts and belt fittings – as well as harness fittings – in a wide range of materials and techniques – gold, silver and copper alloys with niello, enamel and inset gems. There are nearly 600 catalogued pieces dating from the 7th to the 20th centuries, and from across the Islamic world, from Spain to Malaysia, North Africa to the Eurasian steppes. Outstanding within the Collection are the Fatimid objects, which incorporate the ‘rope-and-grain’ filigree characteristic of Egypt or Syria; Iranian bracelets of the 10th–13th centuries, of gold sheet decorated with set gems, niello and granulation; and a two-headed eagle from 18th-century Morocco, in gold filigree and set gems. The catalogue examines the role of jewellery in Muslim societies and attempts to place certain forms in the context of other cultures, from Byzantium to Liao China. Other essays introduce the materials and technology of jewellery-making, discuss the origins of ‘spiral filigree’ and present a significant group of copper-alloy harness fittings from Nasrid Spain. Separate catalogue volumes have been devoted to the Collection’s holdings of rings (vol. XVI) and to jewels from Mughal India (vol. XVIII). [RWH: These two volumes are superb, with great articles on gems in the Islamic world and excellent bibliographies. Highly recommended.]

gems, jade, Fischer-Other, jadeite, fei cui, Mesoamerica, Mexico, Aztecs, Guatemala, Cuba

In 1799, Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland set out to determine whether the Orinoco River connected with the Amazon. But what started as a trip to investigate a relatively minor geographical controversy became the basis of a five-year exploration throughout South America, Mexico, and Cuba. The discoveries amassed by Humboldt and Bonpland were staggering, and much of today’s knowledge of tropical zoology, botany, geography, and geology can be traced back to Humboldt’s numerous records of these expeditions. One of these accounts, Views of the Cordilleras and Monuments of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, firmly established Alexander von Humboldt as the founder of Mesoamerican studies. In Views of the Cordilleras—first published in French between 1810 and 1813—Humboldt weaves together magnificently engraved drawings and detailed texts to achieve multifaceted views of cultures and landscapes across the Americas. In doing so, he offers an alternative perspective on the New World, combating presumptions of its belatedness and inferiority by arguing that the “old” and the “new” world are of the same geological age. This critical edition of Views of the Cordilleras—the second volume in the Alexander von Humboldt in English series—contains a new, unabridged English translation of Humboldt’s French text, as well as annotations, a bibliography, and all sixty-nine plates from the original edition, many of them in color.

gems, jade, Mughal jade carving nephrite, China, beryl, emerald, spinel, ruby, gold jewelry, Indian lapidary

Throughout its history, India has produced countless types of jewelry as a huge country with an almost unmanageable number of peoples and tribes. The precious ones were not only intended to decorate or provide information about the social rank of the wearer, they also served as magical protection and were indispensable in some religious ceremonies. Many pieces of jewelry also had a symbolic meaning and can be associated with ancient Indian myths due to their materiality. The publication ranges from magnificent pieces from princely treasuries to precious jade objects to the highly elaborately decorated jewelry of the Rabari people with gold granules.

gems, jade, Mughal jade carving nephrite, China, India, Islamic jade, Indian lapidary

One of the most important sources for the history of early Mughal jade is the account ofWilliam Hawkins, who arrived at the court in 1609.1 The English merchant appeared before the emperor Jahangir (r. 1605–1627) resplendent in scarlet with a silver-embroidered cloak, claiming to be the ambassador of King James I, which he was not. Hawkins seems not to have known Persian, the cultural language of the Mughal elite and the administrative language of the whole empire, but the two managed to hold conversations which Jahangir apparently enjoyed. He gave the foreign visitor ful1 ambassadorial honours including a title, a house and a considerable sum of money. Hawkins'two-year residence inAgra at the heart of the court gives credence to his detailed account of the royal treasury which is therefore often mentioned in studies of 17th century Mughal art.

gems, jade, jadeite, fei cui, nephrite, physical properties, hardness, infrared spectra

The mineralogical properties of black nephrite jade from Western Australia are studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy using both transmission and specular reflectance techniques in the 4000–400 cm⁻¹ wavenumber region. The infrared absorption peaks in the 3700–3600 cm⁻¹ region, which are due to the O–H stretching mode, provide a quantitative analysis of the Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratio in the mineral composition of jade samples. The Fe/(Fe+Mg) percentage in black nephrite is found to be higher than that in green nephrite, but comparable to that of actinolite (iron-rich nephrite). This implies that the mineralogy of black nephrite is closer to actinolite than tremolite. The jade is also characterized using Raman spectroscopy in the 1200–200 cm⁻¹ region. Results from FTIR and Raman spectroscopic data of black nephrite jade are compared with those of green nephrite jade from New Zealand and jadeite jade from Myanmar. Black nephrite appears to have a slightly different chemical composition from green nephrite. Spectra from FTIR and Raman spectroscopic techniques were found to be useful in differentiating black nephrite, green nephrite, and green jadeite jades. Furthermore, data on refractive index, specific gravity, and hardness of black nephrite jade are measured and compared with those of green nephrite and of jadeite jade.

gems, jade, nephrite, Chinese nephrite identification

The years of experience in jewelry business and the research results of jewelry teaching have been summarized into a set of evaluation methods suitable for commercial trade. After a large number of students' market operations and market practices, they have gradually proven its accuracy and operability. Unique evaluation concepts and methods are also constantly being improved in the exchange with the market. This book mainly describes the varieties, identification methods and evaluation of Hetian jade. Bai Zigui is a teacher at Shanghai Biteng Vocational and Technical Training School, an international jewelry appraiser, and a national registered jewelry and jade quality inspector. Zhao Bo, Quality Inspector of Shanghai Jewelry and Jade Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, International Jewelry Appraiser, National Registered Jewelry and Jade Quality Inspector.

gems, jade, gold, Chinese jade, testing, analytical testing

Just a few decades ago ancient Chinese artifacts were of interest only to academics and a few far-sighted collectors. Today the demand for such objects far exceeds the available supply and fake-makers have enthusiastically jumped in to supply the shortfall. The vast majority of fake ancient" artifacts are crude enough to dismiss out of hand. But a small yet dangerously high percentage are made with sufficient skill and knowledge to fool even museum curators and top auction houses. The traditional defenses against fakes rely on art-historical methods and provenance. However, the art-historical approach can be highly subjective, and, like the objects themselves, provenance can be faked. A suite of truly objective, scientific tests for establishing an object's culture and date of creation is needed to complement these two approaches. Co-author Michael Teller is president of TK Asian Antiquities, one of the top dealers in the world and a leader in scientific examination of ancient artifacts, including gold jewelry. Handling thousands of Asian antiquities over more than 30 years has given him a healthy sense of skepticism. As he said in a recent interview, "The majority of [Asian] antiques, particularly ancient material on offer today, are forgeries, pastiches, and restructured artifacts. It is imperative to learn the appropriate scientific analytical techniques required to unveil these problems." He and co-author Melanie Roy (TK's Director of Research) have now provided a comprehensive survey of such methods, and its usefulness is by no means limited to Asian objects. You may already be familiar with carbon-14 testing for dating organics and thermoluminesence (TL) testing for dating ceramics. This book goes well beyond these two widely known methods. The book devotes a chapter to each of the following methods: Radiocarbon Dating; TL Testing, Radiography; Optical Microscopy; Metallography; Electron Probe Microanalysis and X-ray Fluorescence; Uranium, Thorium-Helium Analysis; Lead-210 Analysis; X-ray Diffraction; and Ultraviolet Scanning. There is also a chapter on an assortment of secondary testing techniques. Many of these techniques are relevant to authenticating ancient jewelry and metal ornaments. Each test method is explained, and its advantages, limitations, and proper application are discussed. These are illustrated with relevant case studies, including countermeasures attempted by the fakers. For example, if a modern fake is subjected to artificial irradiation (called "dose tampering"), is it possible for the fake to "pass" a TL test? The authors explain why that is "difficult to impossible.".. Clearly this is a technical book. And yet the writing is lucid and easily understandable by a general reader with little more than high-school science. Or perhaps you may want to jump to Mr. Teller's lively final chapter, entitled "Logic, Opinion, Divination and Myth in the Authentication Procedure." One by one he takes on various examples of fuzzy thinking that can delude collectors and appraisers when confronting an allegedly ancient object. Many readers may find this one chapter alone worth the price of the book. The book is beautifully produced, with text in English and Chinese and numerous color illustrations, many of them high-magnification photomicrographs. There are classy touches, including pictorial endpapers, all page edges gilt, and a bookmark ribbon. There is a glossary, but no index. This book is fascinating reading for anyone interested in archaeometry. It is destined to become a standard reference for collectors and curators who must confront ever more skillful makers of fake antiquities."

Jadeitite, Jade, jadeite, fei cui, Guatemala, Pre-Columbian artifacts, Exchange networks, Caribbean, gems

A detailed electron microscopy analysis of jadeitite celts from the Early Ceramic Age Golden Rock settlement on the small volcanic island of St Eustatius, Lesser Antilles, is presented in an effort to identify the source region(s) of these jadeitite axes and evaluate the extent of trade networks in the Caribbean during pre-Columbian times through which those tools (or source rocks) circulated. Habitation at the site occurred between ca. AD 230–890, and the jadeitite tools most likely date between cal. AD 600 and 825/890. We argue that in provenancing jadeitite emphasis should be placed on the identification of the entire mineral assemblage (including the accessory minerals) and textures, given the complex geological histories and processes that form this quasi-monomineralic rock. Indeed, the mineral assemblages and the characteristics of the individual minerals within the studied jadeitite samples are far from homogenous, suggesting either the source has a high degree of internal variation or there are multiple sources. We have identified three jadeitite groups among the analyzed samples on the basis of mineralogical assemblages: Group 1 consists of samples bearing phlogopite (plus phengite and epidote but without lawsonite or quartz); Group 2 contains lawsonite (plus phengite and quartz but without phlogopite and epidote); and Group 3 is defined by containing hematite. Importantly, we have not identified glaucophane in the analyzed materials. The comparison of these artifact data with those of jadeitites from the four potential known source regions of Caribbean jade, i.e., Guatemala (North and South Motagua Fault mélanges), Cuba (Sierra del Convento mélange) and Dominican Republic (Río San Juan complex) allows us to conclude that both the North and South Motagua Valley mélanges are the most likely sources for artifact groups 2 and 3, and perhaps also for group 1. This identification supports earlier hypotheses on the existence of pan-regional exchange networks, tying the northern Antilles with the Isthmo-Colombian region (Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica) during the Ceramic Age of the Caribbean.

jade, nephrite, China, Chinese art, Xinjiang, Khotan, gems

gems, jade, nephrite, jadeite, fei cui, China, Burma, Chinese jade carving, coral, agate, quartz, rock crystal, chalcedony, onyx, amethyst, turquoise

An illustrated catalogue of jade and stone carvings honoured in the 2012 Tian Gong Awards. Works are grouped by award category: gold, silver, bronze, best craftsmanship, best creativity, and outstanding works. The volume also introduces regional competition venues and documents aspects of submission, judging, and exhibition, providing a record of contemporary Chinese carving and its award selection process.