The Sacred Turquoise Mine
by Alec Drake
Title
The Sacred Turquoise Mine
Artist
Alec Drake
Medium
Digital Art - Digital Originals
Description
Turquoise was the first stone in recorded history of man to be used as a gem according to the Library of Congress. The name Turquoise comes from French describing the stone that came from Turkestan, in Central Asia extending from the Caspian Sea to the Gobi Desert. Turquoise has been found in crypts dating from the First Dynasty in Egypt, more then 7000 years ago. The mines along the southwestern coast of the Sinai Peninsula are thought to be the sources. Deposits in eastern Tibet were reported by Europeans as early as the 16th century, and 14th century in India. Marco Polo reported turquoise in his travels in China. The Aztec Indians of Central America, who had in abundance the most prized ore of all, gold, traveled into our American Southwest to find turquoise. Turquoise was so valued by the Aztecs that they demanded turquoise as a tribute from neighboring states of theirs.
Uploaded
August 6th, 2012
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