gems, archaeology, archaeogemology, Central Asia, Iran

Tosi examines turquoise as evidence for long-distance exchange across the Iranian plateau during the late prehistoric and protohistoric periods, treating its archaeological distribution in much the same way as lapis lazuli. He reviews possible turquoise sources in Iran and neighboring regions and compares them with finds from major settlements and craft centers, particularly Shahr-i Sokhta, where turquoise occurs alongside lapis lazuli and carnelian in evidence for specialized stone-working. The distribution suggests that turquoise was not simply a locally consumed ornamental material but formed part of wider systems through which valuable stones, finished ornaments, and technological knowledge circulated between northeastern and southeastern Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Mesopotamia, and the Indus region. Tosi stresses the difficulty of assigning archaeological turquoise to particular mines solely from appearance and therefore treats proposed source-to-market connections cautiously. The study places turquoise within the developing network of specialized production and interregional exchange that accompanied increasing urbanization on the Iranian plateau during the fourth and third millennia B.C., showing how relatively small quantities of distinctive luxury materials can help reconstruct otherwise poorly documented trade routes and economic relationships.