gems, archaeology, archaeogemology, Africa, Niger, ivory, eggshell, bone, stone, amazonite, feldspar, microcline, neolithic

Excavation of 84 burials and surface artifact collection at Gobero (Niger) from paleodune and lakebed contexts yielded a diverse assemblage of ornaments made from ivory, eggshell, bone, and stone. These were categorized as either in situ grave goods or surface finds from deflation. Grave goods included a hippo ivory upper arm bracelet found on the left humerus of an 11-year-old girl from the mid-Holocene phase (4250 ± 40 BP), showing a tessellate enamel fracture pattern diagnostic of hippo tusk under UV light. Two necklaces, found with mature individuals, were composed of ostrich eggshell beads, larger green metamorphic rock beads, and—on a mature female dated to the later occupation phase (4860 ± 40 BP)—nine hippo ivory beads and a subrectangular ivory pendant incised with a ‘crow’s foot’ motif giving a serpentine lateral profile. Surface finds included amazonite and carnelian beads, partially drilled or unworked amazonite cores, a lobate amazonite pendant (44 mm long), a drilled Gazella dama phalanx, a pendant from an external hippo tusk section, and one from a curved cranial bone of a large Nile perch (Lates niloticus). The absence of ornaments in early Holocene burials suggests most surface finds likely date to the mid-Holocene occupation.

gems, ancient gemology, ancient jewelry, advanced testing, archaeology, archaeogemology, glyptic, engraved gems, cameos, intaglios, seals, glass, fraud, counterfeit, forgery, imitation gems

“The so-called pastes manufactured only in Rome are imitations, or rather impressions, of ancient and modern cameos and intaglios in enamel. Besides these pastes, impressions are also made in sulfur and in scagliola. These cost very little and are extremely interesting, since through them one may acquire, at very little expense, a compendium of the art, history, and mythology of the Ancients. […] In this way there are collections whose purpose is to show the development of Art, beginning with the Egyptians and Etruscans, continuing through the Greeks and the Romans, from the birth of Art to its decline. Other collections are historical, containing the principal events of history; others contain only portraits arranged in series of the first Kings of Rome, the Emperors, famous Captains, Philosophers, and Poets.” Thus Giuseppe Brancadoro wrote in the “Notizie riguardanti le Accademie di scienze, ed arti esistenti in Roma coll’elenco dei Pittori, Scultori, Architetti etc. compilata ad uso degli Stranieri.” The first of three volumes, this catalog constitutes the complete publication of the collection of glass molds used during the first half of the nineteenth century by the workshop of Bartolomeo and Pietro Paoletti for the serial production of scagliola impressions of cameos and hardstone intaglios from every period. The catalog is supplemented by a reconstruction of the Paoletti workshop’s activity in Rome and by a historical-critical analysis of the collection.

gems, obsidian, natural glass, archaeology, archaeogemology, Sardinia

A study of the obsidian cups from the Villa of San Marco at Stabiae, examining their manufacture, decoration, and the possible provenance of the volcanic glass. The vessels combine obsidian with gold and coloured stone inlays depicting Egyptian subjects. Discussion centres on how these elaborate objects were produced and their relationship to Alexandrian craftsmanship, placing them within the circulation of luxury goods and Egyptian artistic traditions in the Roman world.

gems, jade, pyroxene jade, fei cui, Guatemala, Mesoamerica, Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, archaeogemology, Maya, Mayan, Palenque

gems, jade, pyroxene jade, fei cui, guatemala, Mesoamerica, Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, archaeogemology, Mayan design, aesthetics, Olmec, Aztec, Guatemala, archaeology

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

This handsome volume presents the creations of Mesoamerica’s most ancient societies in their archaeological contexts. The Olmec―best known for a unique style of monumental stone head and jade were-jaguar―were based along the Gulf of Mexico but have also been linked to other Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Maya and Aztec. This book discusses recent spectacular finds and provides a framework for understanding the history, art, and archaeology of the Olmec.

gems, early mining, early mineralogy, early lapidaries, archaeology, archaeogemology, metals, Europe, Agricola

To create a technical language—that was the challenge faced by Agricola, a Saxon physician and humanist of the Renaissance, when he set out to write the first comprehensive technical treatise on extractive metallurgy, an activity that at the time was the source of Saxony’s wealth. Indeed, one cannot write a technical text without using technical language. This study reveals the linguistic and iconographic methods developed by Agricola for his De re metallica, a work that was used by mining operators throughout Europe until the Industrial Revolution.

gems, history of gemology, early lapidaries, history of mineralogy, Armenia, Persia, Poland, Islam

Vardapet Arak‘el of Tabriz (d. 1670). The History of Father Arak‘el is the most important Armenian primary source dealing with contemporary events that occurred in Iran, Armenia, Ottoman Empire, and Georgia from 1602 to 1662. It describes the Jelali Revolt; the Armenian Community in Poland and its struggle against and eventual loss to Roman Catholicism, the corruption and decline of the Holy See of Ejmiatsin in the first half of the seventeenth century and its revival in the second half of that century. The life and acts of the various Armenian Kat‘oghikoi (Supreme Patriarchs) are especially interesting, since the author was present at the Holy See and privy to its inner secrets. It also details account of numerous martyrdoms; a rare and informative chapter on the Jewish community of Isfahan and their forced conversion to Islam; and four chapters on the history of Georgia. The founding and history of the famous monastic schools and hermitages are described in great details. Most importantly, the book has the best description of the forcible settlement of the Armenians in Iran by Shah Abbas I and its aftermath. This, the first English translation, will be of great use to scholars of Iranian, Armenian, Ottoman, and Georgian history.

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

A report on newly documented blue jadeite sources and ancient working sites in Guatemala’s upper Río El Tambor drainage, south of the Motagua River. Archaeological reconnaissance links natural outcrops with nearby settlements, production debris, and unfinished objects, providing evidence for local extraction and manufacture. The discoveries expand the known jadeite-producing region and identify potential sources of the translucent blue-green material prized by the Olmec. They also offer a basis for investigating the organization of production and exchange in ancient Mesoamerica.

gems, history of gemology, history of mineralogy, Arabic mineralogy, history of science, Egypt, Rome, Greek science, astronomy, glyptic, Indian lapidary, ruby, rubies

The Portrait of Alexander the Great recounts the story of a remarkable treasure hunt. From Europe to Japan, by way of the banks of the Indus, the authors set out in search of the treasure of Mir Zakah, unearthed by villagers in Afghanistan. In the summer of 1992, four tons of gold, silver, and bronze coins emerged from a spring—along with a profusion of jewelry, ornaments, votive plaques, and gemstones, struck or engraved, dating from the golden age of the Achaemenid Empire in the 5th century BCE to the decline of the Kushan Empire. Warlords, bandits, and traffickers seized this national treasure and sold it at auction to billionaire collectors. In 2004, a gold medal bearing the likeness of Alexander the Great appeared in London, in the hands of a man from Peshawar, Pakistan. Osmund Bopearachchi realized the historical importance of this exceptional piece—quite possibly the only portrait of the conqueror made during his lifetime. In 326 BCE, after conquering the Persian Empire, Alexander crossed the Indus and defeated King Porus’s elephant cavalry. This marked the beginning of Greek rule in Central Asia and India, which would last four centuries. On this victory medal, Alexander, wearing the scalp of an elephant as a headdress, appears as the equal of Zeus. He gave rare examples of it to his generals. Unknown to the wider public, this magnificent gift has resurfaced, allowing one of the most glorious chapters in world history to be written.