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

The study of the minor Olmec schulpture is the fundamental basis of this book. To call it minor is a conotation of size and physical measure in terms of centimeters. The material used were jade, serpentine, clay, granite, basalt and wood. There is a special mention of the jade cult, because it established the zenith of the Olmec art. In the history of jade carving, nobody achieved nor even came close to compare with the magnificent realizations of the Olmec lapidaries and ther patrons, the Jade Lords. The Olmec Civilization was the creator of the most beautiful and impressive sculptural art works of all the Mesoamerican pre-Columbian art. It has been always an enigma: the sudden appearance of this magnificent art within a primitive environment, without the existence of any previous development stages. Now for the first time are exhibited here the achievements of long years of investigation around the Olmec problem. It has been possible to find enough evidence of the physical presence in America, 2,000 years ago, of transoceanic immigrants from the Old World, and also the cultural seeding they brought to the young Mesoamerica in those historical happenings, that influenced the cultural expressions of all the Mesoamerican Civilizations since the first one, the Olmec, until the two last, the Maya and the Aztec. The achieved facts permit also to make a definitive correction of many wrong statements about the Olmec occurred since the first explorations of Mathew Stirling until the works of Michael D. Coe, the two most outstanding American archaeologists. There are here published many new findings about the Olmec, being the most remarkable their original long distance communications system by the use of solar rays reflected in their marvelous hematite mirrors, a cultural feat that was the first step towards the Maya numerals and hieroglyphics. An English translation of: Los señores de jade (1991).

gems, archaeology, archaeogemology, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan

Divided into two parts, the volume comprises 52 articles—19 in Part I and 33 in Part II—covering topics as diverse as craniology in protohistoric Iranian Seistan and questions of authenticity in sixteenth-century Indian painting. The definition of archaeology adopted by the “South Asian Archaeologists in Europe” is notably broad, as is their geographic conception of South Asia, which spans from the Arabian Gulf to Bengal and from Central Asia to Sri Lanka. Participation is not limited to Europeans; American involvement has grown significantly over the years. Overall, these biennial conference proceedings, published regularly since 1973, offer valuable insight into the current Euro-American approach to the ancient cultures of a substantial portion of Asia.

gems, ancient gemology, early gemology, ancient mineralogy, early trade, India, Rome, ancient trade, commerce

Includes bibliographical references and indexes. Contents: Ancient naval technology and the route to India / Lionel Casson — Ports of the Red Sea and the Arabia-India trade / Steven E. Sidebotham — Roman trade / S.B. Deo — Red polished ware in Gujarat / Nancy Pinto Orton — The Roman bronzes from Kolhapur / Richard Daniel De Puma — Early Roman export class in India / E. Marianne Stern — Further evidence of Roman trade from coastal sites in Tamil Nadu / K.V. Raman — Terra sigillata at Arikamedu / Howard Comfort-- The Mediterranean shipping amphoras from Arikamedu — Ceramic evidence for pre-Periplus trade on the Indian coasts / Vimala Begley — The Port of Mantai, Sri Lanka / John Carswell — Observations on Mediterranean amphoras and tablewares found in India / Kathleen Warner Slane.

gems, ancient gemology, early gemology, ancient mineralogy, early trade, India, Rome

Includes bibliographical references and indexes. Contents: Ancient naval technology and the route to India / Lionel Casson — Ports of the Red Sea and the Arabia-India trade / Steven E. Sidebotham — Roman trade / S.B. Deo — Red polished ware in Gujarat / Nancy Pinto Orton — The Roman bronzes from Kolhapur / Richard Daniel De Puma — Early Roman export class in India / E. Marianne Stern — Further evidence of Roman trade from coastal sites in Tamil Nadu / K.V. Raman — Terra sigillata at Arikamedu / Howard Comfort-- The Mediterranean shipping amphoras from Arikamedu — Ceramic evidence for pre-Periplus trade on the Indian coasts / Vimala Begley — The Port of Mantai, Sri Lanka / John Carswell — Observations on Mediterranean amphoras and tablewares found in India / Kathleen Warner Slane.

gems, ancient gemology, early gemology, ancient mineralogy, early trade, India, Rome

Includes bibliographical references and indexes. Contents: Ancient naval technology and the route to India / Lionel Casson — Ports of the Red Sea and the Arabia-India trade / Steven E. Sidebotham — Roman trade / S.B. Deo — Red polished ware in Gujarat / Nancy Pinto Orton — The Roman bronzes from Kolhapur / Richard Daniel De Puma — Early Roman export class in India / E. Marianne Stern — Further evidence of Roman trade from coastal sites in Tamil Nadu / K.V. Raman — Terra sigillata at Arikamedu / Howard Comfort-- The Mediterranean shipping amphoras from Arikamedu — Ceramic evidence for pre-Periplus trade on the Indian coasts / Vimala Begley — The Port of Mantai, Sri Lanka / John Carswell — Observations on Mediterranean amphoras and tablewares found in India / Kathleen Warner Slane.

gems, ancient gemology, early gemology, ancient mineralogy, early trade, India, Rome

Includes bibliographical references and indexes. Contents: Ancient naval technology and the route to India / Lionel Casson — Ports of the Red Sea and the Arabia-India trade / Steven E. Sidebotham — Roman trade / S.B. Deo — Red polished ware in Gujarat / Nancy Pinto Orton — The Roman bronzes from Kolhapur / Richard Daniel De Puma — Early Roman export class in India / E. Marianne Stern — Further evidence of Roman trade from coastal sites in Tamil Nadu / K.V. Raman — Terra sigillata at Arikamedu / Howard Comfort-- The Mediterranean shipping amphoras from Arikamedu — Ceramic evidence for pre-Periplus trade on the Indian coasts / Vimala Begley — The Port of Mantai, Sri Lanka / John Carswell — Observations on Mediterranean amphoras and tablewares found in India / Kathleen Warner Slane.

, gems

synthetic corundum.7, ruby, sapphire, synthetic spinel, flame fusion, Verneuil, gems

Describes the Verneuil flame-fusion process and the diagnostic features used to identify gemstones produced by it. Particular attention is given to microscopic inclusions and absorption spectra, with illustrations showing characteristic features of flame-fusion synthetics. The article explains how evidence resulting from the growth process can distinguish these laboratory-grown materials from their natural counterparts and provides practical criteria for routine gemological identification. A contemporary Journal of Gemmology abstract specifically confirms this emphasis on the Verneuil process, inclusions and absorption spectra.

gems, ancient gemology, early gemology, ancient mineralogy, glyptic, cameos

Contents: The Portland Vase: an aspect of Roman cameo cutting / David Whitehouse and Kenneth Painter — Ancient cameos in the Content Family Collection / Martin Henig — Late Antique cameos c. A.D. 250-260 / Jeffrey Spier — Cameos in Byzantium / Cyril Mango and Marlia Mundell Mango — Rubens and the Cameo of TIberius / Christopher White — Portrait cameos: aspects of their history and function / Gertrud Seidmann.

gems, glyptic, engraved gems, agate, cameo, intaglio, archaeogemology

A broad study of archaeogemmology, examining gemstones and engraved stones in the ancient world from mineralogical, archaeological and cultural perspectives. Devoto and Molayem discuss the identification and use of ancient gem materials and survey the development of glyptic art, including seals, intaglios and other carved stones from the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Archaeological objects are considered in terms of their gem materials, working techniques, iconography and historical context. Separate attention is given to the magical and therapeutic properties attributed to stones in antiquity, including their use as amulets and in lithotherapy. The volume is extensively illustrated in both color and black-and-white and attempts to combine modern mineralogical knowledge with archaeological and historical evidence for the identification, manufacture and cultural significance of ancient gemstones. Later archaeological catalogues cite individual objects illustrated in the book, including Mesopotamian cylinder seals and hardstone pendants.