Turquoise has fascinated people from royals to the richly challenged for thousands of years. The world's oldest known turquoise mine is in Egypt. Turquoise first comes to Europe in the 13th century AD, introduced by the Ottoman Empire.
Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure
See also:
The name turquoise comes from the French word for Turks. It's the only rock to have a color named after it. Turquoise can range from green-blue to scumbled or light blue shades. Most esteemed of quality is the robin's egg blue color of turquoise mined in Persia, now Iran.
Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure
The blue of turquoise comes from the copper content in the stone. Turquoise can contain other minerals like pyrite or fool's gold, or veins of limonite, a mix of iron oxides. Green indicates iron inclusions. Considered a semi-precious gemstone now, turquoise is a valuable commodity in ancient times.
See also:
The stone polishes to an almost translucent gleam and is just slightly harder than glass. Due to its proximity to ground level and its lustrous beauty, turquoise is one of the first stones to be mined. Some ancient mines are still in use today. It's a valuable gemstone on the early trade routes such as the Amber Road and the Steppe routes.
In spirituality and magic, turquoise wards off evil and creates a protective aura. It's a stone of communication, and promotes productive discussion and an open mind. Wearing, rubbing or holding turquoise can soothe anxiety and channel productive thinking.
See also:
Turquoise is lucky for marriage and relationships, aiding communication with one's partner(s). Blue is calming to the mentality and also one of the colors of the element Water, both being Yin energies focused on thought and intuition. Pure blue brings clarity.
Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure
Turquoise on the aqua / green side is excellent for opening up channels of optimism, imagination and creativity. Veins of pyrite attract luck and financial success.
See also:
.jpg)
Iran has been mining turquoise for up to 2000 years. In architecture, Iranian blue turquoise covers the domes of palaces. The intense blue is a symbol of heaven on earth. The bright blue stone of Iran is color-changing, as it turns green when heated.
Turquoise also comes from the United States, with large deposits throughout the lands. It's originally used by the Meso-American and other indigenous people. Arizona currently produces the highest quantity of turquoise in the US.
See also:
In Egypt, turquoise has been mined at least since the First Dynasty c. 3000 BCE. The oldest mine appears in the Sinai peninsula and is largely depleted. Several other turquoise mines exist on the southwest of the peninsula, some from ancient times.
Turquoise is especially lucky for people born under the zodiac signs of Pisces and Sagittarius. Aquarius can benefit from this stone too. Like a mountain stream, turquoise causes thoughts and words to flow.
See also: