Featured Article
The Colors and History of Jade
Jade, which has many different colors including green, white, grey, black, yellow, orange and violet, existed long time ago. Historians and gem experts calculated its existence to be more than seven thousand years old. In 3000 BC, jade was also known as the yu (which literally means the royal gem) in the regions of the mainland China. Jade was the Orient's comparison to the West's gold and diamonds. Only the royal families of the Imperial Palace can wear jade because of its cult stature. In the ancient times, especially in China, beautifully engrave jades worn by princesses were a representation of the good, the beautiful and the precious. Aside from its Confucian symbolism, jades were also used as a sign of the female-erotic.
The ancient cultures of the Mayas, Aztecs and the Olmecs of Central America highly regarded the jade as a part of their civilization. In fact, they considered it as more precious than gold. The Egyptians related the jade as the gem of love, inner peace, harmony and balance. The aborigines of New Zealand the Maoris also used jade as a form of weapon and religious tool.
The jade's jadeite and nephrite is called by many different names. Jadeite is also called as Agate verdtre, feitsui, jadeit, jadeita, natronjadeit, yunnan jade, and yu-stone. While nephrite is also referred as Axe-stone, B.C. Jade, Beilstein, Grave Jade, Kidney Stone, Lapis Nephriticus, New Zealand Greenstone, New Zealand Jade, Spinach Jade, Talcum Nephriticus, and Tomb Jade.
There are handfuls of minerals which can be utilized and sold as a jade. These include the serpentine (also known as the bowenite and comprises the Korean jade, Suzhou jade, Styrian jade, Canadian jade, Olive jade, and the New jade), aventurine quartz, glass, grossularite, Vesuvianite, shoushan stone, and the chrysoprase (produced in Australia).
The British Columbia's official gemstone is the jade.
Copyright © 2005 Clothing Jewelry n ME -CJnMe.com. All rights reserved. |