I'm so glad you're back. For a few weeks I'm sharing what I have learned about the history of turquoise and how it was used in various countries in the past.

Let's go to China. This huge country started using turquoise to make carvings in the 13th century. They did not mine much of it themselves. They traded for it with Tibet and other countries. Today, much of the world's turquoise comes from China. It is considered good quality and is used in turquoise jewelry.

In ancient Tibet, turquoise was so valuable it was used as money in some parts of the country. Much of Tibet's turquoise is a beautiful shade of green. It was traded with other countries.

Beautiful turquoise has been mined in Turkey for hundreds of years. They traded it with other countries including those in Europe, though turquoise did not really catch on and become popular in Europe until the Renaissance.

Thanks for checking in. Come back next month.

Welcome back. In the next several posts, I will share with you what I have learned about how people have used turquosie through history. It is amazing how versatile this stone can be and how long we have been using it.

Archaeologists have found pieces of turquoise in ancient living and burial sites of prehistoric man in the Western Hemisphere. On the other side of the world, beads dating to between 5500 and 5000 BC have been found in Iraq.

We know the Egyptians loved turquoise because it has been found in ancient tombs. The pharaohs used it in jewelry and to decorate clothing and uniforms. The pharaoh Sesostrias II, who reigned from 1844-1837 BC, had a breastplate embedded with turquoise stones. It is displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Turquoise bracelets were found on the mummy of an Egyptian queen from 5,500 years ago. Turquoise necklaces, bracelets, and earrings were made with settings of gold. No wonder treasure hunters have been flocking to Egypt for years!

Come back soon for more countries and their uses of turquoise.