Myth and mystery surround the natural green cube of nephrite found at Hattusa. A Bronze Age capital of the Hatti and Hittite Empires, Hattusa flourishes in central ancient Anatolia, or today's Turkey.
A type of jade, before the 18th century BCE nephrite is primarily used in the far East and trade along the coast. It's one of the two types of true jade, the other being jadeite. Both have spiritual significance.
See also:
.jpg)
Jade is prized for jewelry, ornament, special tools, ceremonies and medicine throughout the ages. Jade-handled daggers for ritual use are found in south Asia. The First Emperor of China died painfully from a mixture of mercury (quicksilver) and powdered jade, a concoction he thought to be the Elixir of Life.
In the East jade is seen to have qualities of the human soul in its soft translucent glow. With gold it represents the essence of heaven.
See also:
A metamorphic rock, jade forms under intense heat and pressure over millions of years. Through mining some ancient sites have exhausted their jade supply. About twenty major deposits are known today.
Jade can occur in various shades including dark and light green, white, cream, pink, red, yellow, black and brown. Since the 1980's, Turkey has produced a purple shade of mixed jadeite and other rocks.
The Green Stone of Hattusa
The Hattusa Green Stone is considered to be locally mined. Both nephrite jade and serpentine, another green metamorphic rock, occur in the area. The two are often found together.
Roughly cubic, the Green Stone is polished smooth on top by countless sleeves and behinds, either in ancient times or modern. The mystery of the nephrite block attracts as many visitors as the temple complex itself.
See also:
No one knows what the Green Stone of Hattusa is meant for beyond a probable ceremonial purpose. It might be a stand for a statue or vessel. It's the only of its kind found in the enormous 35-temple complex of ruins.
Local people call it a wishing stone. Professor Andreas Schachner, director of archaeology at the site of Hattusa, says he believes the stone to be used by the Hittites and all civilizations afterward. Perhaps it houses a divine spirit. Jade is often associated with healing, divinity and revitalization.
See also:
The Hittite Empire comes to an end in 1180 BCE, the period known as the Bronze Age collapse. After that, the Greek Dark Ages take hold. New empires begin to rise from the ruins of the fallen.
Today in history, the nephrite chunk is over 4000 years old. It might be a stone of memory, for it carries many. In spirituality, jade is a gem of nobility and wealth, associated with the element Water. It's formed in nature as pressure literally squeezes water out of stone.
See also:
Archaeologists believe the Green Stone was moved from another location to the Hattusa complex. The stone was discovered in a small chamber connected to the temple of the Hittite Weather God Tarḫunna and the Sun Goddess of Arinna.
The reason the stone is brought to the temple and what it was used for there has yet to be discovered. The Hittites leave no clue, nor do those who come after.
See also:
The Green Stone remains clouded in mystery. The nephrite jade rock, the ancient remains of Hattusa and environs are a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1986.
See also: