Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-04-13
USED TURQUO|S TO
DECORATE MOUTHS
NATIVES OF CENTRAL AMERICA
lNLAlD THEIR TEETH WITH
GEMS
IS PHOSPHATE OF ALUMINIUM
Stone Invested With Great Virtues as
Cure-All by Writer

Washington-The division of Miner
alogy of the United States Museum
at Washington has on exhibition q
large collection of the gem known as
turquois. In the exhibits. of the di-
vision of anthropology additional spec.
linens are to be seen which fact goes
to vouch for its historical value and
Its close relations to the life of man.
DR.. Joseph L. Pogue, late of the
museum staff has made an exhaustive
study of this mineral. which has re-
Gently been published.
The turquois is an Opaque mineral,
priced mainly for its perfection of
color, since it lacks the brilliant lus
tire which forms the chief charm OF
transparent gems. Specimens of the
finest quality possess a soft and pleas
ing blue tone like the color of the sky
called in the trade sky blue or robins
egg blue, but the value is often les
sened by a greenish cast, while in
many stones the green predominates.
1t occurs near the surface of the
earth where it is readily found and
than glass, it may be worked with
ease, even by primitive people who
possess only the crudest tools.
Chemically the turquois is a phos-
phate Of aluminium carrying small
quantities of copper and iron, 10 which
its color is due. With variscite,
green mineral of similar character but
less value and beauty, it is the only
phosphate to find a place among the
precious stones. Like many minerals,
this stone has more than one origin.
1t is usually formed, however, by
the percolation of surface water
through aluminous rocks containing
apatite and disseminated copper min,
erals.
Although at the present day this
stone is outranked by the diamond,
ruby, sapphire and other gems among
the civilized peoples, with semi civil
lized peoples it takes foremost rank,
its value depending not only upon
it's intrinsic worth, but also upon the
mystic properties and religious sig
nificance it is supposed to possess.
1t is the most highly priced pos.
session of the Navajo Indian of the
deserts of Arizona, and the Bedouin
of the plains of Arabia, while the Tibe-
tan and Mongolian natives esteem this
gem no less than do the Hopi and
Zuni pueblo dwellers in our own south
west.
By virtue of this general use In
parts of the Orient and America, and
its introduction into legends and
myths of diverse and widely separat,
cd peoples, the turquois has consider
able ethnolo2ic interest.
From the dawn of civilization down
to the present day the turquois has
played an important role and found q
variety of ornamental and religious
uses. Not only was it always held in
in high esteem but it was frequently
invested with marvellous virtues. From
the tombs of the earliest Egyptian
Kings has come beautiful jewery in
laid with turquoises from the Sinai
peninsula.
The inhabitants of central Asia have
long valued the turquos and been Law
ish in its use, while the PerSians and
.,eighboring races of Western Asia
have from time immemorial drawn up
on the famous Nishapur deposits near
the Caspian Sea. The mineral was
probably known in Europe even pricr
TO the beginning OF the Christian era
Turquois occurs in but few places
on the globe, most of them barren
and arid, yet in nearly every place
where it has been found prehistoric
mining sites have also been discover
cd showing that the ancients knew
nearly all the localities of this stone.
Many early writers attributed great
medicinal value to this pretty blue
stone They also held that this gem
brought good luck fortune, etc, and
protected its wearer from harmful
accidents, even death itself. Another
virtue was its supposed ability tc
prevent horse from tiring
Medical properties We're also claim.
ed for it in Mexico by the Aztecs, al.
though there this gem had more of
ed primarily to divinities, and at first
worn only by priests and the mightiest
mobiles.
The natives OF Central America are
said TO have inlaid their teeth with
rurquoises, and an ancient jaw stud
ded with these gems unearthed in
Yucatan attests to this belief.
Alphabetically the turquois has a
long and curios history, both with the
ancients and the ignorant of today.
Its color, varying from blue to green,
was significant for ages as representa-
tive of the sky, sea and verdure.
at cures all diseases of the head
and heart. BY application oven the
eyes it insures their lustre. and pre-
vents the fall of fluid therefrom. II
is a sovereign remedy for flatulence,
dyspepsia, insanity. and ulcers. Wheth