gems, turquoise, Iran, Persia, Nishapur

A substantial study by Heinrich Fischer advocating the use of mineralogy as an auxiliary science to archaeology and ethnography, with special attention to Mexican stone sculptures and artifacts. Fischer argues that accurate mineralogical identification can clarify the provenance, manufacture and cultural relationships of archaeological objects that had often been described only by color or traditional names. Using Mexican examples, he examines a range of worked stones and discusses methods for distinguishing their constituent minerals, including microscopic examination. Of particular gemological interest is his treatment of turquoise and its microscopic structure, together with discussion of jade and other ornamental stones used in ancient Mexico. The paper is an important early contribution to the application of mineralogical and petrographic methods to archaeological materials and to the scientific study of pre-Columbian stone objects.