gems, jade, nephite, China, amphibole jade, yu, Hetian yu, origin determination

Investigating the provenance of carbonate-related nephrite (C-nephrite), a prestigious stone mainly found and used in East Asia and linked to various tectonic domains, has long been a challenge in Chinese jade archaeology. Examining the correlations between the geochemical compositions, formation mechanisms, and tectonic domains of C-nephrite mineralisation could provide important clues for tracing its origin. In this study, 352 C-nephrite samples from 15 key localities across East Asia were analysed using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The results show significant variations in lithium (Li) and beryllium (Be) concentrations, as well as cerium (Ce) anomalies, in the main mineral, fine-grained tremolite (Tr-II), of C-nephrites from different tectonic domains. C-nephrites from the North China Craton (NCC) have low Li and high Be (typically Li < 1.5 μg g⁻¹, Be > 6 μg g⁻¹) with no marked Ce anomalies. However, specimens from the Yangtze Craton (YC) show high Li and low Be (generally Li > 6 μg g⁻¹, Be < 1.5 μg g⁻¹) and pronounced negative Ce anomalies. C-nephrites from Phanerozoic orogenic belts (POBs) typically exhibit variable Be contents (ranging from 6×Li + 6 to 1.5×Li − 7.5) and generally lack Ce anomalies. Further research indicates that the geochemical signatures are largely governed by sources of ore-forming fluids, depositional ages, and palaeoenvironmental conditions of host carbonate rocks. Based on the correlation between the Li–Be–δCe features of Tr-II and the mineralisation mechanisms and tectonic domains, this study further categorises C-nephrite into the North China Craton type (NCC-nephrite), the Yangtze Craton type (YC-nephrite), and the Phanerozoic orogenic belt type (POB-nephrite). Thus, key information such as the formation mechanisms and tectonic domains of C-nephrite can be obtained through nearly non-destructive LA-ICP-MS trace element tests, thereby aiding in its source prediction and providing robust geological constraints for provenance determination. This study offers a new perspective on the provenance research of archaeological C-nephrites in East Asia and may also have broader applications extending to serpentine-related nephrite (S-nephrite) and other precious gemstones.

gems, jade, archaic jade, China, Chinese jade carving, nephrite

This book analyzes and summarizes the narrative motifs of Chinese mythology, before tracing their material and cultural elements using the new classification of Big Tradition and Small Tradition theories of culture from the field of literary anthropology, as well as related interdisciplinary theories from literary anthropology and archaeology. China’s history reaches back more than 5,000 years, while the earliest known Chinese character system, oracle bone script, was created over 3,000 years ago. Following up on a reference to black jade in The Classic of Mountains and Rivers, the author conducts an extensive survey of black jade ritual articles in the Yellow River and its tributaries, supported by the new archaeological discoveries of black jade battle axes, the primal jade ritual article used in the Central Plains 5,300 years ago. The author then establishes a chain of evidence, using quadruple-evidence methods to validate the Black Jade Age as the first age of the jade culture in the Central Plains. His goal in doing so is to flesh out the myth-enshrouded age of Emperor Yan, Emperor Huang, and Warrior Chiyou, transform it into a substantiated landscape of the origin of the Central Plains Civilization, and offer evidence-based reasoning for this two-thousand-year gap. By doing so, it arrives at unprecedented insights into the origin of Chinese civilization. Methodologically speaking, the book adopts quadruple-evidence methods from the field of literary anthropology, emphasizes intellectual exploration beyond documentary records, combines the living cultural inheritance with newly discovered cultural inheritance that has long been lost underground, makes full use of the method of physical evidence, and employs a series of physical images to form a far more complete and systematic chain of evidence, so as to successfully reconstruct the cultural contexts of China’s 5000-year history.

gems, jade, jadeite, fei cui, Mesoamerica, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mayans, Olmecs, Aztecs, archaeology, history, archaeogemology

The physical properties of materials contribute to the aesthetic and symbolic qualities of an object, but they are also powerful instruments for triggering emotional responses. It is precisely the aesthetic response that amplifies the material ability of objects to communicate and to determine their role in communal social life (Filloy Nadal, 2017). Reflecting on the intangible elements that gave rise to the different artefacts is not a simple task. Nor is it easy to imagine these objects in use, in situations where, for example, the attire and the wearer had to be seen as a unity, and the material components had to distinguish the bearer and project sumptuousness. During religious rituals, visual effects were surely of primary importance. However, one must also consider the elements that distinguished the individual himself, his personhood, such as the intentional modification of the skull, the manner in which he moved, the gestures he performed, or the sounds that accompanied him. The manufacture of the objects studied reflects complex production processes involving multiple participants and materials originating from different places. It is possible to reconstruct these processes, and this will lead us to appreciate their social significance. However, to understand the effect of their use, imagination is required.

gems, jade, jadeite, fei cui, Mesoamerica, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mayans, Olmecs, Aztecs, archaeology, history, archaeogemology

To create Pakal’s mask, the artisans selected six shades of green stones. Each tone was used in a different area of the face to define an anatomical feature or an ornament, and even to draw the viewer’s attention toward the central part of the face. For example, three pieces of a light, intense green colour were used to represent the central jewel of a diadem, while several thinner emerald-coloured plaques were used for the ends of the diadem. The central area of the face was made with the greenest and most brilliant jade, also called “imperial jade,” while the hair was represented with a darker, mottled tone. It is evident that there is a kind of bilateral symmetry between the tesserae and that their forms are similar on both sides of the face, both in position and in shape or colour. The pieces fit together exactly because the tesserae have bevelled edges that were cut at 45 degrees; in addition, a wooden backing, which did not survive the passage of the centuries, and a lime paste as cement were used. During the restoration, we realised that there was a logical sequence for assembling the tesserae of the mosaic.

gems, jade, fei cui, pyroxene jade, jadeite, fei cui, omphacite, kosmochlor, Guatemala

Chen and colleagues investigate the gemological and mineralogical characteristics of green Fei Cui from Guatemala, using conventional gemological testing together with microscopic observation and instrumental analytical methods to characterize its appearance, structure, mineral assemblages, and composition. The study examines the variations found among green Guatemalan material and the relationships between its mineral constituents and observable gemological properties, with particular attention to jadeite- and omphacite-bearing material. Mineralogical and compositional differences within the samples are considered in relation to color and texture, and the authors discuss characteristics useful for understanding and identifying Guatemalan green Fei Cui and distinguishing it from comparable material of other origins.

gems, general gems

Gemstones have been a source of delight and fascination for thousands of years, from the icy brilliance of diamond and the soft iridescence of pearl to tough jade gems once used in weapons and pink topaz that was popular in Victorian jewelry. This book covers every known type of gemstone, exploring each one’s unique beauty, rarity, and durability. It reveals how gems form, where they are found and mined, how to identify them, and more. With sumptuous color photos throughout, Gemstones offers dazzling insights into the world of the rare and the valuable.

gems, archaeology, anthropology, Early man, origin of language, linguistics, jade

A true symbol of the Neolithic, the polished stone axe appears during this final episode of prehistory on every continent and in almost every culture. Its use continued, sometimes very late, within communities in the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific. Well known as a tool for clearing forests and working wood, it is less recognized as a ritual object, though this role held major importance and an almost universal character. Through numerous richly illustrated examples, this work shows how stone blades, born of the incredible creativity of the peoples who came before us, were made, used, and interpreted. From the first farmers, ten thousand years ago, to the Papuan tribes who were still polishing axes at the end of the 20th century, from the rulers of ancient China to the Maya priests, this book reveals the many technical and ritual functions they fulfilled and the extraordinary myths that accompanied them.

gems, jade, nephrite, California, USA, Stoddard, inclusions

For well over half a century, Southern California collectors have known about and tried to collect black nephrite jade with sparkling rosettes of magnetite from a unique deposit adjacent to the Verde Antique Marble quarry (Sec. 28, T. 7 N., R. 2 W., San Bernardino base and meridian). This long-inactive quarry is located in the northern extension of the Sidewinder Mountains near Stoddard Well in San Bernardino County, California (fig. 3). I first collected at the site in the early 1960s with Robert Hamblin, proprietor of the North Hollywood Gem and Mineral Shop, who acquired and wholesaled several tons of this material to the lapidary trade for jewelry, spheres, and similar projects. The best material from the find produced striking metallic rosette patterns on a jetblack background.

gems, jade, nephrite, Xinjiang, Chinese jade, Khotan

gems, jade, nephrite, Xinjiang, Chinese jade, Khotan, inclusions, zircon dating

The Omixia nephrite deposit, situated in the central West Kunlun Orogenic Belt, is hosted in Mg-skarn formed between granite and magnesian marble. Despite its large size and extensive exploration, the ore genesis and precise age of the deposit have remained poorly understood. This study aims to clarify the genesis and constrain the upper age of the deposit through petrological analysis and LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon dating. Petrographic observations reveal that nephrite formed in multiple stages, including tremolite mineralization, diapolitization, fine granulation, and recrystallization. Geochemically, the nephrite displays low total rare earth element (ΣREE) content, averaging 7.228 μg/g, with strongly negative Eu anomalies (δEu = 0.58–0.73), declined light REE patterns, and flat heavy REE patterns. U-Pb zircon ages in the nephrite range from 489.6 ± 10.5 Ma to 411.1 ± 5.3 Ma, indicating formation during the Late Caledonian to Early Hercynian periods. These findings confirm that the Omixia deposit is a typical contact metasomatic Mg-skarn nephrite deposit, and they provide valuable insights into the genesis of nephrite in the West Kunlun region of Xinjiang, contributing foundational data for further geological research in the area.