Turquoise Pendants
2011
The Historical Story Of Turquoise
Depending on which historian or gemologist you ask, the history of turquoise goes back between six and eight thousand years. Of course, if you ask a geologist, you will learn that the history of turquoise goes back nearly forty million years! But that’s a story for a different article. Historical records suggest that turquoise was extracted the Sinai Peninsula by ancient Egyptians around 4,000 BC. Records left during the time period of about 2923-2915 BC during the reign of Senerkhet document extensive mining operations in Egypt, involving hundreds of individuals. Archaeological excavations found the breast plate of Pharaoh Sesostris II. This plate has an amazing display of highly skilled turquoise inlay work. There are others who claim that jewelry such as silver turquoise pendants and beads were found in Mesopotamia which date back to 5000 BC.
The Persians were the next civilization to discover this beautiful gemstone. However, this discovery occurred only hundreds of years after the Egyptian finds. The physical and visual qualities of turquoise from ancient Persia were – and continue to be – some of the best found anywhere in the world. More importantly, the Persians did not did not dictate who could and who couldn’t own turquoise like the Egyptians did. While Egyptians allowed only people of high standing in their society to own this gemstone, any one in Persia who could afford to buy turquoise was allowed to own it. This helped spread the popularity of turquoise immensely.
Turkey played a key role in the spread of turquoise around the world. Turkey is situated at the cross roads of Asia and Europe. It soon became an important trading center for turquoise and helped bring this gem to civilizations of the Mediterranean. Turkey gained such high importance that that the stone was given a name related to the country. It is believed that turquoise comes from the French phrase that roughly translates to Turkish Stone. The only explanation for this origin is that the Europeans mistakenly believed that the turquoise was found in Turkey. Although the turquoise may have been purchased in Turkey, the stone was probably found in the Sinai or Persia. Turkey in fact had and has only very minor deposits of turquoise.
In North America, turquoise was first discovered by the native tribes about eleven centuries ago. The earliest mining operations were carried out in Cerrillos near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Native Americans had high regard for this stone and believed that it symbolized the joining of heaven and earth. They always thought of it a holy and lucky stone. They believed that it protected them from harm and therefore wore it during battles and on hunting expeditions. Some tribes believed that the stone had special powers for men and women depending on its color. The blue stones were considered to be symbols of male power, while green specimens were thought of as female power stones. The development of southwestern turquoise jewelry received a big boost with the advent of the Europeans who brought silver with them. Native artists soon mastered the art of creating beautiful silver turquoise jewelry that represented their culture and beliefs of the time. Today, southwestern artists continue to create some wonderful pieces of traditional and some more contemporary and innovative jewelry designs. Including turquoise in pieces of other materials such as cultured pearl necklaces and coral bracelets are relatively new trends that have gained in popularity in recent years.
About the Author
Dale is a leading internet authority on gemstones and their use in today’s fashion jewelry. In addition, he has also examined and reviewed electronics of consumer interest such as cheap MP3 players, digital sound systems, and high-end personal computers.
Jay King Mojave Green Turquoise Pendant with Black Cord …
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Bruck Lighting Silva CM 100714BZ/CM Chrome Turquoise Translucent Glass Note: This item is in chrome finish and turquoise translucent glass glass.Silva is a classic look with depth in design. It comes with a matte white inner diffuser shade accompanied with a transparent colored outer glass. Black and White Silva glass have a single opaque glass in the respective color. The stunning glass from Bruck Lighting is hand blown in various locations across the globe, includi… |
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Jezebel Radiance® Lily Track Lighting Pendant Small. Hardware: White. Glass: Seafoam Teal Green $198.00 Jezebel Radiance® Pendant Track Lights are made in the USA of handcrafted glass using a patented process. The remarkable three-dimensional effect can be ordered in a variety of glass colors. All Jezebel Radiance® products are UL certified, 120 Volts and come with 8.5 feet of adjustable cord. This light can be used with a medium base bulb (not included): Incandescent, Fluorescent or LED. Naturall… |
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Bruck Lighting Silva CM 100714CH/CM Bronze Turquoise Translucent Glass Note: This item is in bronze finish and turquoise translucent glass glass.Silva is a classic look with depth in design. It comes with a matte white inner diffuser shade accompanied with a transparent colored outer glass. Black and White Silva glass have a single opaque glass in the respective color. The stunning glass from Bruck Lighting is hand blown in various locations across the globe, includi… |
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4x Silver Magnifier Pendant with Chain $10.95 Round magnifier pendant on a long silver chain. Great for wearing around your neck as a fashionable accesssory…. |
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Rudraksha Seed Mala with Turquoise Pendant – 108 Beads 6.5mm $42.99 Turquoise is a purification stone. It dispels negative energy and clears electromagnetic smog, providing protection against pollutants in the environment. It balances and aligns all the chakras with the subtle bodies and attunes the physical level to the spiritual. These unique handcrafted Rudraska Turquoise Pendant 108 Bead Mala jewelry pieces are lovingly made in Bali. Each bead has been picke… |
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Teething Bling Donut Shaped Pendant Teething Necklace $20.00 This is the original “teethable” jewelry. Inspired by curious babies who like to grab, our pendants are made from soft and flexible silicone making them both pretty and practical. We use the highest quality, phthalate/BPA/PVC free, federally approved silicone. Our products are non-toxic, latex and lead-free, food-safe, even dishwasher-friendly…. |
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Earth Reflections Diamond Cut Pendant Necklace – Wolf Head $14.95 Pewter pendant on beaded 24″ adjustable leather cord with a turquoise color donut… |
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Earth Reflections Diamond Cut Pendant Necklace – Horse Head $14.95 Pewter pendant on beaded 24″ adjustable leather cord with a touquoise color donut… |
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Layered Butterfly Pendants Long Chain Necklace Turquoise Blue $9.00 This long chain necklace features three layered pendants – two butterflies and one bejeweled flower. Antique gold chain…. |
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Smart Mom Teething Bling Donut Shaped Necklace – Turquoise $14.30 Smart Mom Jewelry Teething Bling is adornment like no other Babies often grab for their mother s jewelry and love to play with it and chew and suck on it This isn t always the best idea for mother or baby Lots of moms stop wearing jewlery because of this but now mothers won t have to give up their jewelry Smart Mom Jewelry combines the beauty of adornment with the functionality of having a baby te… |
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Turquoise Pendant/ Tassel Necklace (China) $14.49 Necklace features a unique turquoise pendantJewelry mixes turquoise and glass beadsHandmade jewelry makes a great accent for your day or evening wardrobe |
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Silver Cawi Motif Turquoise Pendant (Indonesia) $68.99 Show off your unique style with this beautifully crafted ‘Cawi Motif’ pendantPendant made of pure .925 sterling silver and turquoiseJewelry is designed and handcrafted by talented artisans from Indonesia |
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Sterling Silver ‘Endless Knot’ Turquoise Pendant (Nepal) $19.99 Keep the little things in perspective with an ‘endless knot’ pendant. This stunning piece of jewelry is handmade of sterling silver with turquoise. |
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Sterling Silver Pear Shape Turquoise Pendant Necklace $14.09 Pendant features a lovely pear shape synthetic turquoise stoneNecklace is crafted of sterling silverOxidized corrugated rope design of jewelry gives it an antique feel, making it the perfect addition to your vintage jewelry collection |
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ICZ Stonez Sterling Silver CZ Turquoise Pendant $19.99 A vibrant turquoise stone dangles attractively from an elegant vintage cubic zirconia crownPendant and necklace chain made of sterling silverA striking bar of cubic zirconia holds the striking pendant |
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ICZ Stonez Sterling Silver Blue Turquoise Pendant $17.49 The turquoise gemstone adds a unique sense of beauty and serenity to any outfitA bold blue synthetic turquoise stone radiates from the center of a brilliant CZ border in this classy pendantSterling silver with rhodium plating |
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Sterling Silver ‘Dreamcatcher’ Turquoise Pendant (Thailand) $26.99 Show off your unique style with this beautifully crafted ‘Dreamcatcher’ pendantJewelry is made of .925 sterling silver with a turquoise stonePendant is designed and handcrafted by talented artisans from Thailand |
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Sterling Silver Marcasite Turquoise Square Pendant $20.99 Add vintage charm to your wardrobe with this sterling silver and synthetic turquoise pendant accented with marcasites. |
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Black Hills Gold 14-kt. & Silver Turquoise Diamond Pendant $45.99 Black Hills gold enhances the traditional design of this silver and turquoise pendant on an 18 inch chain. |
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Sterling Silver Marcasite and Gemstone Heart Necklace $19.99 This heart-shaped turquoise pendant showcases a floral overlay design dotted with marcasite stones. The necklace is crafted of sterling silver with rhodium plating and an antiqued finish. |
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Stone Necklace (China) $27.99 Enhance your style with this handcrafted necklace . With your choice of tiger’s eye or turquoise pendant, this beautiful necklace is perfect for casual or formal wear. |
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Susen Foster Silverplated Ceremonial Moment Multi-gemstone Necklace $50.99 This necklace by Susen Foster presents White Turquoise branches, Red Agate pebbles, cylinders of lava, Turquoise nuggets, trapezoid Turquoise pendant, and a silverplated toggle. |
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Sterling Silver Dainty Turquoise Necklace (China) $29.49 Let this stunning necklace add a touch of style to any look. Handcrafted with dainty turquoise chips separated by glass silver seed beads, this piece of jewelry is finished with a turquoise pendant with a sterling silver beaded bezel. |
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Sterling Silver Children’s Created Turquoise Bear and Beads Necklace $24.99 This adorable necklace features a created turquoise pendant in the shape of a bear. Crafted of fine sterling silver and beautifully polished, this piece will surely become a girls favorite accessory! |
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Sterling Silver Turquoise Oval Necklace $24.49 Add a splash of bright color to your look with this turquoise pendantLovely necklace features polished oval turquoise bead set in a sterling silver pendantNecklace includes a sterling silver box chain |
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Sterling Silver Turquoise Oval Necklace $23.49 Refresh your style with the gorgeous color of this turquoise pendantPolished oval turquoise stone set in a sterling silver pendantNecklace includes a sterling silver box chain |
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