Turquoise, a kind of gentle semiprecious stone, is one of the most valuable and historically important gems. The ancient Greek term for “blue” is where the name originates. It has been highly prized for millennia and is thought to be one of the oldest diamonds to be mined on purpose. For at least two thousand years, Iran has been a major player in the economics of the Middle East and Europe because to the turquoise it produces.
In the Americas, turquoise was mixed into a broad range of products known as Aztec mosaics, and traded between mining regions in the state of New Mexico, where it is being mined today. The desire for turquoise in Mesoamerica has been linked to its subsequent appeal in the Southwestern United States. Historically, turquoise was mined in California and New Mexico by indigenous peoples before the advent of Europeans. Because of this, turquoise became an important cultural emblem and ornament in Native American societies.
The Best History of It
As a direct result of the westward expansion of the United States’ population in the late 19th century, turquoise mining in the nation flourished. The industry, however, was quickly put out of business by the onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s. To this day, however, turquoise is still mined and produced in significant quantities in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada. Today, just one mine, located in California’s Apache Canyon, is in operation for financial gain.
A Brief Overview of Turquoise Jewelry
For centuries, people of all walks of life and all corners of the world have been attracted to the beauty and power of Vintage turquoise jewelry and talismans. Treasured by ancient cultures including the Egyptians, Chinese (who started cutting it more than 3,000 years ago), Persians, and Aztecs for its beauty and for the deep spiritual and political meanings it represented, turquoise was also a powerful political and spiritual emblem.
Turquoise was originally utilised in Mesoamerica about the third century, and because to the stone’s ideological value, its use spread across the area throughout the eleventh century. To symbolise wished-for outcomes like rain, fertility, and maize, the material was employed by kings, priests, and other religious leaders in ceremonies, decorations, and general decor.
The French term “pierre tourques,” from which our English word “turquoise” is derived, recounts how the material was first introduced to Europe via Turkish trade networks during the Crusades in the 11th century. Throughout the Middle Ages, it was worn as a talisman, and starting in the 17th century, it was widely worn as a fashion accessory. Queen Victoria revived turquoise’s association with true love in the 19th century, and the trend quickly spread throughout Europe. Indeed, this helped propel turquoise into the spotlight. Art Deco jewellers also used the stone in their creations; later, in the 1960s and 1970s, it was combined with diamonds and yellow gold to make statement pieces.
Traditional Native American turquoise jewelry
Turquoise, a once-valuable gemstone, is now often associated with the ancient Native American civilization that existed in the Southwestern United States. Turquoise was highly revered by the Pueblo, Navajo, Hopi, and Apache cultures for its protective and ceremonial qualities. Because of this, the art of making jewelry and sculptures out of turquoise has a history stretching back at least 140 years. Because of this, new methods of craftsmanship and silversmithing emerged, which in turn established silver and turquoise as a distinctive pairing.
