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

Jade held ritual, political and economic importance for all the civilizations of Mesoamerica: from the Preclassic to the Postclassic periods, green jade pieces were carved with great mastery. Thanks to its great resistance to weathering, archaeological objects carved from this stone preserve their visual qualities, their lustre and their colour, even after remaining buried for centuries.